Love is like a roller coaster
by Dancing-StarryEyedDemigod
Summary: It's sophomore year at Jump City High. Kori Anders is: new girl. Richard Grayson is: resident playboy. It's gonna be a wild ride. -RobxStar, slight BBxRae CyxBee JxKF- -title/rating may change- WARNING: like every other High School story you've read
1. Chapter 1: Tofu Juice

THIS CHAPTER HAS BEEN RE-WRITTEN.

IT USED TO BE DIFFERENT.

Just an FYI for you :)

I don't own TT.

Or anything else mentioned below.

* * *

Jamie, Angelica, and Kori walked down the long hall leading away from their lockers. School had started not 3 hours ago, and the girls were ready for lunch. Unfortunately, they had one class left. They finished their conversation, parted, and went their separate ways. Jamie to chemistry, Angelica to English, and Kori to art.

As Kori traveled down another hallway, she saw a goth-ish looking, dark haired girl on her knees next to a small plastic bowl next to something that looked like either white-meat jello, or a piece of perfectly square, frozen gravy. That moved.

"Gar," the girl growled, looking up at a blondish-green haired lanky boy standing beside her. "Help me clean up _your_ stupid mess!"

The boy looked down, away from his conversation with a dark, buff guy who was probably on the football team, and another guy that had ebony hair and dark sunglasses. The blonde boy started shaking his head violently.

"I can't _clean,_" he said, scrunching up his nose. "That's women's work!"

At this, the raven haired girl looked up in utter shock and distaste, and Kori felt herself do the same. The girl reached up, grabbed 'Gar's' ear, and pulled him down to the mess.

"You. Clean this up. I'm not going to," she said, and she stood up, pushing his head closer to the mess

"Aw, c'mon Rae," 'Gar' began, trying to glance up at 'Rae'. "I hate to clean, and you know I'm no good at it either!"

"Sure," 'Rae' said sarcastically.

"I'm serious!"

"Name one reason I should believe you"

"Okay," 'Gar' said, smacking away 'Rae's' hand and turning his head towards her. "Remember last year, at Bruce's Christmas party? Karen and Roy brought that huge salad and it got spilled everywhere? I had to stay behind and clean up, and you KNOW it just made a bigger mess!" The two boys, who were standing off to the side, began to chuckle.

"Well _that's _a half-ass excuse," 'Rae' said calmly.

"What do you mean that's a _half-ass_..."

Kori subconsciously tuned the arguing out, and before she knew it, she had handed her pink shoulder-bag to the black haired boy, and sat down on her knees. He and the other boy looked at her with disbelieving eyes.

"It is quite simple," she heard herself say. "All you do is pick it up," she grabbed the piece of white... meat-like stuff (it felt disgusting even though she was only using two fingers) and dropped it into the plastic case "And put it in the box." she snapped the lid on and held it out for the first person to grab it.

_Well, that was gross. _

The buff guy slowly grabbed it from her hand, and held it as if it had some sort of disease. The corner of the black-haired-boy's lip turned upward.

"Just because you don't know HOW to clean, doesn't mean you CANT!" Kori heard. The three looked over at 'Rae', who had just shouted the previous statement at 'Gar'.

Before 'Gar' could retaliate, he glanced over at Kori, and his eyes widened.

"You..." he began. Kori was ready to apologize and walk away, but 'Gar' enveloped her in a huge bear hug. "You touched the Tofu!" 'Gar' shouted, smiling brightly as the other three just stared.

Kori giggled. "Is he going to let go of me?" she asked, pointing a perfectly pink manicured finger at the boy hugging her.

"Yeah..." the probable-football-player said. He looked down at the ebony haired boy, his eyes got wide, and he smirked. The buff guy leaned down and whispered something into the blacked-haired boy's ear. The boy blushed and grabbed the plastic container from Vic.

Kori looked back at 'Gar', and she saw something blue fly at him. He toppled over, clutching his head and blinking like mad.

"Thanks, I needed that," he said.

The buff guy walked over to Kori. "Anyways, little lady, what's your name?" he said to her, as Gar picked up the plastic Tupperware off the floor.

"Kori. Kori Anders." she said, grinning.

"Hmm..." the tall boy said, seemingly deep in thought. "Didn't see you last year. You new?"

"Yes," Kori replied, nodding. "I just transferred here."

"Well, Kori, don't worry about Gar and his attack, he's just glad someone besides him finally touched that crap he eats," the strong guy said. This got a death glare from Gar. The 'football player' went on. "I'm Victor. Call me Vic. That little vegan bush of green hair over there is _Garfield_," Victor smirked at the name. "But you can call him Gar, everybody else does. That's Rachel, and as you have obviously seen, you shouldn't call her Rae. Don't see why you would, Gar only calls her that because he has a cru-"

"And he's Richard," Gar said, cutting off Vic and gesturing to the ebony-haired boy. When Kori looked, the boy was scowling at Gar, but you couldn't really tell what he was feeling because his sunglasses were covering his eyes._ What is_ _he thinking?_

_Who cares?_

_I do._

_That is very confusing, did you know that?_

_Why? If I could only see his eyes..._

_*AHEM* I thought you already liked someone._

_Oh yeah..._

"Call him 'Dick'," said Victor, smirking and whisking Kori out of her own thoughts

Kori giggled. "Nice to meet you, Vic, Gar, Rachel, and _Richard_," she smiled to herself before getting lost in her thoughts again

_Poor Richard. That nickname is horrible._

_It probably reflects his personality._

_It can't possibly, he seems like he's too shy to talk at all._

Kori looked up as Gar shot out of no where and stalked up to Vic. Gar glared up at the boy with an attempted intimidating look.

"What are you doing?" Rachel drawled.

Gar growled. "It's. Not. My. Fault. My. Hair. Is. Green," he scoffed at Vic, making each word into its own sentence

Vic and Richard began laughing intensely, and even Rachel sported a slight grin.

_What?_

"May someone please explain to me what is so-" Kori was interrupted by the bell signaling 4th period.

Victor shut his locker. "Oh, so you wanna know the Green Hair Story, eh Kori? We can tell it to you at lunch. That is, unless you don't wanna sit with us," He grinned.

Lunch?

"Oh, of course I'll sit with you guys!" Kori blurted with a huge smile. She had plans to sit with Jamie and Angelica to discuss the first day of school, but she was sure they wouldn't mind sitting somewhere else.

The five parted and went separate directions. After about 30 seconds, a hand on Kori's shoulder stopped her. She turned around and saw Richard blushing.

"You forgot this," he muttered, sliding the pink bag off his shoulder and sliding it on to Kori's.

"Oh, thank you!" She smiled, and gave him a light hug. "See you at lunch, Richard!" She called, waving over her shoulder as the corners of his mouth turned slightly upward. He waved back.

_Did you feel that?_

_Feel what? _

_His touch._

_Stop thinking about him!_

_But that _feeling_. Strange..._

_What feeling? No! Pretend there is no feeling! You always do this, Kori!_

Kori shook herself out of her thoughts, out of the argument, but the feeling she had still lingered a bit longer than it should have.

* * *

Richard stood by his three best friends in the whole world, Rachel, Gar, and Vic, as a crowd of students trailed by. A new school year, and they were all sophomores.

The four of them all opened their lockers spontaneously. Suspiciously, all at the same time, too. Richard reached inside for his history book, Rachel for her journal, Vic for his gym clothes, and Gar for his... lunch.

If you could call it that. _Is tofu really considered edible? _Richard thought, eyeing the container of jiggly, white, fake-meat.

It slipped out of Gar's hand, popped open, and everyone groaned.

"Hey, dudes!" He said. "Not my fault!"

"Yes it was, you idiot," Rachel said as she looked down to the floor.

The boys gave her a look, and since she didn't want the four of them to get in trouble, Rachel sat down on her knees and began mopping up the...um... Tofu juice **(A/N ...eww...)** with one of Gar's stray math papers that had fallen to the floor.

"I'll clean up this _spill, _but i'm not touching that _thing,_" she said calmly, eyeing the tofu on the floor.

"Aww, c'mon Rae, you'd so like it, if you just tried it..." Gar said.

"I respect that you don't eat meat. Please respect that I don't eat _fake _meat,"

Richard zoned out as he noticed a pretty redhead walking down the hallway with two other girls, which he knew from classes he'd had earlier in the day. Jamie and.... something with an A. But he'd never seen this other girl before. They all conversed briefly, and then separated. The redhead began to walk towards the group. Her hair swayed, and she never stumbled, lost a paper, looked around, nothing. She walked confidently.

Vic looked over at Richard and stared.

Richard became uncomfortable. "What?" he asked, turning his head towards Vic.

"Just checking for drool, man," said Vic, smiling slightly.

Gar looked up from Rachel and the Tofu. "Who's drooling?" he said.

"Oh, no one. Just Dick"

"Why?"

The three boys began chattering

"Gar!" Rachel said, annoyed. "Help me clean up _your_ stupid mess."

Gar looked down in shock. "I can't _clean_," he said. "That's _women's_ work"

Rachel looked up at Gar in disgust.

"Ooo..." said victor covering his O-shaped mouth with his hand.

Rachel reached up and grabbed Gar's ear, pulling him down to the mess.

"You. Clean this up. I'm not going to," she said, and she stood up, pushing Gar down so his face was inches from the mess

"Aw, c'mon Rae," Gar began, trying to turn his head to look up at Rachel. "I hate to clean, and you know I'm no good at it either!"

"Sure," Rachel said sarcastically.

"I'm serious!"

"Name one reason I should believe you"

"Okay," Gar said, smacking away Rachel's hand and turning his head towards her. "Remember last year, at Bruce's Christmas party? Karen and Roy brought that huge salad and it got spilled everywhere? I had to stay behind and clean up, and you KNOW it just made a bigger mess!" Richard started to chuckle at the memory. He could hear Vic laughing quietly, too.

"Well _that's _a half-ass excuse," 'Rae' said calmly.

"What do you mean that's a _half-ass_ excuse? That's legit, dude!" Gar shouted, getting into Rachel's face. Richard and Vic were laughing hysterically.

_Well, it WAS a half-ass excuse, you've gotta admit that!_

Richard tuned back into the current setting, but all he saw was the pretty redhead getting closer. She really was gorgeous.

_What is that? Auburn? Something like that..._

_What are you talking about?_

_Her hair! It should be in a Pantene commercial._

_Auburn? Jeez. Bruce has somehow got you watching too much TV._

Richard noticed that the girl he was thinking of was handing him her bag. He took it and slid it on his shoulder. She began to pick up the tofu, and Richard felt his eyes get huge. Not that anyone could see them.

"It is quite simple," she said, picking up the tofu with two fingers. "You pick it up, and put it in the box," she dropped it into the container, snapped on the lid, and held it out for someone to grab.

Victor took it, seeing as Richard was lost in his own world.

_What? _

_She's... amazing._

_You don't even know her!_

_I'd like to._

Richard looked over at Vic, and Vic was eyeing the tofu with a look that just screamed "Ew". Richard smirked.

"Just because you don't know HOW to clean, doesn't mean you CAN'T!" Vic, Richard, and the mystery girl turned to look at Rachel as she jabbed a finger at Gar's chest.

Before Gar could think of a comeback, he glanced over, saw the container, and his eyes got huge.

"You..." Gar said, and Richard was sure he was talking to Vic, ready to make fun of him for holding tofu, not meat. But Gar hugged the redheaded girl. Richard was astonished.

_WHAT IS HE DOING?_

_Calm down, Dick. It's just a hug._

_He's gonna think he has a claim on her now!_

_Relax, it's okay, it's just a hug. What are you so worked up about? It's not like _you_ had a claim on her._

"Is he going to let go of me?" The redhead said, pointing at Gar.

_I'll make him if he doesn't..._

"Yeah..." Richard heard Vic say. Then he felt a whisper in his ear and a plastic box in his hand.

"You know," Vic said quietly into Richard's ear. "If you really want him to let go of your future gilfriend, then throw this at his head."

Richard blushed like mad and looked over to where Gar was hugging the redhead. She was looking down at him quite uncomfortably. "She's not going to be my girlfriend," Richard hissed as he chucked the plastic container at Gar's head.

"Thanks, I needed that," said Gar, rubbing his head.

Vic looked down at Richard and rolled his eyes when he realized that Richard was staring again.

"Anyways, little lady, what's your name?" he said to the pretty girl.

"Kori," she said. "Kori Anders." she grinned

"Hmm..." Vic said, seemingly deep in thought. "Didn't see you last year. You new?"

"Yes," Kori replied, nodding. "I just transferred here."

"Well, Kori, don't worry about gar and his attack, he's just glad someone besides him finally touched that crap he eats," this got a death glare from Gar. Vic went on. "I'm Victor. Call me Vic. That little vegan bush of green hair over there is _Garfield_," Victor smirked. "But you can call him Gar, everyone else does. That's Rachel, but don't call her Rae. Don't see why you would, Gar only calls her that because he has a cru-"

"And he's Richard," Gar said, cutting off Vic before he could finish his scentence. Richard, after glancing over at Gar when hearing his name, looked back at the girls eyes.

_..._

_What are you staring at, idiot?_

_Her eyes are pretty. _

_It's just green._

"Call him 'Dick'," Vic said, elbowing Richard in the side.

_Jerk._

Kori giggled. "Nice to meet you, Vic, Gar, Rachel, and _Richard_," She said with another perfect smile. Richard caught himself before he began staring again, lucky that no one could see his eyes.

"Itsnotmyfaultmyhairisgreen..." Gar mumbled.

"What?" Vic asked loudly, placing a hand to his ear (as if to enhance his hearing,) even though he heard exactly what Gar was saying. A wide smile was plastered on his face.

Richard had a hard time keeping a smile off his face.

Gar slid up to Vic and tried to look as intimidating as he could. It was very amusing.

"It's. Not. My. Fault. My. Hair. Is. Green." Gar scoffed. Vic and Richard doubled over in laughter, and even Rachel was smiling.

Kori looked confused. "May someone please explain to me what is so-" she began, getting interrupted by the bell signaling 4th period.

Vic shut his locker. "Oh, so you wanna know the Green Hair Story, eh Kori? We can tell it to you at lunch. That is, unless you don't wanna sit with us," He grinned and looked down at Richard. He shot a death glare Vic's way.

_He's doing this to torture me. She's gonna say no..._

"Oh, of course I'll sit with you guys!" Kori said excitedly with a huge smile.

_I just died._

_Get a grip. You're a playboy, not a fanboy. _

The five separated and set out to each individual class. Richard got a few stares and chuckles.

"Hey, nice fashion statement, dude!" someone shouted.

_What is he talking about?_

A girl brushed against him on her way pass. "Nice bag," she whispered.

_What the? _Richard looked down and noticed Kori's bag still on his shoulder. Then he noticed something else.

It was pink.

_Damn me! Stupid! You idiot! You just made yourself the laughing stock of Jump City High. It's the first day of school, and you already find a way to embarrass yourself!_

Richard searched frantically in the direction Kori had set off in, and finally found her about to enter the art room. He put his hand on her shoulder and his heart faltered as she spun around effortlessly.

Richard tried to grin. "You forgot this," he muttered, sliding the bag off his own shoulder and on to Kori's.

"Oh, thank you!" she said enthusiastically. She lightly hugged Richard. He hugged back.

About 2 seconds later, Kori released Richard and turned back towards the art room.

"See you at lunch, Richard!" she called, waving.

Richard couldn't restrain his smile from appearing all together, but he did manage not to let it become a huge, goofy grin. He waved back.

_You CAN NOT seriously be affected by this girl!_

_I shouldn't be, but can you blame me? She's gorgeous._

_Yes, we've established that._

_Can you believe her?_

_Oh, for the love of god, stop thinking about her!_

_Yeah, I need to stop._

_That's better._

Richard slowly smiled as he realized that nothing had really changed within him. He was still the same old player he had always been.

But he had to admit, there was some tiny feeling in the back of his skull that just wouldn't go away.

* * *

As you read before, this chapter has been rewritten

Review?


	2. Chapter 2: The mystery crush

I tried harder on this one. Chapter 1, I wrote in a few hours. This one took me all day, but it was MUCH, MUCH shorter.

I think this chapter is a bit better in the "Dick" department. I cut down on the thoughts, too. I just wanted to show that they kinda liked each other in the first chapter. There's still some thought monologues, but definitely not as much.

You don't have to read both POV's if you don't want to, I don't think much changed between the two.

I don't own TT, unfortunately.  
I don't own anything else mentioned below, either.

* * *

Kori exited the art room at the bell, walking to her locker to meet up with Angelica and Jamie. She approached it to find that Jamie and Angelica were already there, deep in conversation.

The two girls noticed Kori's arrival and greeted her with two equally high-pitched squeals of excitement. Kori cringed.

"What?" she asked, confused. _What is going on?_

Jamie spoke up first. "OH MY GOD!" She cried, "GUESS WHAT!"

"What?" Kori asked, getting curious.

"I walked into my Chemistry class to see none other than... guess who!"

"Who!" Kori was fully engrossed in the topic now.

"XAVIER REDD!" Angelica and Jamie let out another round of screeches, and Kori joined in.

"What did he say?" she asked. Jamie and Angelica already knew about Kori's slight crush on Xavier, the four had all met during the summer at the beach, and Kori hit it off with the group almost instantly.

Jamie beamed. "He said he remembers you and that he's gonna come by and talk to you before class!"

Kori swore she stopped breathing. _He's coming to talk to me? What will I say?_

"Yeah," Angelica sighed dreamily. "So me and Jamie are gonna leave and go to our loc-"

"HERE HE COMES!" Jamie interrupted, and she and Angelica shrieked quietly. They gave Kori a thumbs-up and walked away 'eep-ing'.

Kori smoothed down her long, crimson hair and turned towards her locker, putting her books away. She became painfully aware that they were no longer covering her torso. She felt a tap on her shoulder.

She turned and smiled at a black-haired, icy-blue eyed, slender, muscled, mysterious boy. "Oh my gosh! Hi!" she said, sounding a lot more content than she felt.

"Hey, cutie. Haven't seen you since summer," He said.

They chatted for a little while about nothing important, and eventually exchanged phone numbers. Xavier walked away and Kori found herself beaming. Jamie and Angelica walked back up to her with curious expressions. Kori blinked twice, and then squealed loudly. The three girls immersed in conversation about Xavier, until Angelica began to look a little wary.

"What is wrong, Ang?" Kori asked, tilting her head to side. Angelica was not one to look at anything suspiciously.

"Who's that guy over there?" She asked, pointing a finger at another black-haired boy who had on dark sunglasses.

Kori rolled her eyes at Angelica's cautiousness. "Oh, that is just Richard," she said.

Angelica looked shocked. "You _know _that guy?"

"Yeah," Her heart fluttered, but she didn't show it on her face. "I met him and the people he is standing with before art," she said, giving Angelica a perplexed look. "Why?"

"Why is he wearing sunglasses indoors?"

"Hmmm..." Kori was baffled. "Probably because he does not like his eye color, I guess," she said, shrugging. The bell rang.

"Time for lunch!" Jamie shouted, grabbing Kori and Angelica's hands and dragging them to the school's courtyard cafeteria.

"Yeah," Kori suddenly remembered the thing she was supposed to ask. "About lunch..."

* * *

Luckily, the 'pink bag' scenario had passed and no upper-classmen had made a comment about it. Richard's friends wouldn't let him live it down if anyone mentioned it.

Richard heard two loud squeals and turned to see who it was. The girls that were with Kori that morning were standing off to the side by some lockers, deep in conversation.

The first one, Jamie, had pink hair that she put in pigtails. Her eyes were a vibrant rose color, and she wore a black mini skirt and black long-sleeved shirt that showed off her figure perfectly. She had on a pink choker that had a gray diamond dangling from it. Her shoes were black combat boots and she wore pink and black striped tights underneath them. Apparently, Jamie liked black and pink.

The other girl, who Richard had figured out was named Angelica, had brown and red hair, and she had teased it high above her head. Her body was dressed in a deep red corset-looking thing, and she had on a thigh length, black skirt that looked somewhat like a tutu. Her eyes and shoes were blackish-brown, but Richard was sure she hated the color.

He could tell they were in the "bad crowd" that was assembled in freshman year.

They suddenly stopped talking and turned to face away from Richard. They squealed some more. Richard heard a "What!" in a sing-song voice, and he knew exactly who it was. Angelica and Jamie stepped to each side of Kori and began talking.

Richard scowled. _Why does she have to look so hot?_

_She doesn't. You're just a wuss._

Kori was wearing a purple sweater that looked great on her, and faded jean shorts.

_Whoever thought of jean shorts is a genius. I'll have to thank them later._

_You're an idiot. She's just another girl._

"Hey, you're scowling!" Vic said, grinning. "I thought you were so love-struck that you'd never be back to normal!" Richard had been temporarily insane when he first met Kori, spacing out, grinning, and blushing. It was so unlike him. So now, he just hated her _and_ himself. Himself for letting her have that effect on him, and Her for being so pretty and friendly.

Richard turned back towards the three girls just in time for another squealing-session. This time, Kori joined in. She was smiling and blushing like mad. Vic, Gar, and Rachel had all noticed the squeals and turned to look as well.

Gar tapped Richard on the shoulder.

Richard looked down with an evil glare, but was met with a slap across the face.

"What the _hell _was that for!" He asked.

"You wouldn't stop staring," Gar said, smirking slightly.

"I stare at other girls all the time, what the big deal about looking at-"

"She's too nice, Dick." Victor said.

This was true. Richard was on the football team, but this did not make him a fun-loving jock. He was usually cold-hearted and had no respect for women.

Richard shook his head. "But-"

"Just let it go, dude," Gar said, putting a hand on Dick's shoulder and pointing back to where Kori was standing. Richard looked.

And choked.

Xavier Redd was handing Kori a small piece of paper, and Kori was doing the same.

"He's bad news," Richard said, and everyone nodded in agreement.

"But what can we do, man?" Vic solemnly uttered. "We just met her, we can't just go tellin' her who to talk to,"

Richard leaned against some lockers and pounded them with his fist. All he could do was stare off into space.

"Hey 'yall," Karen, Vic's girlfriend, announced as she approached the group. "'Sup Sparky?" She addressed to Vic, kissing him on the cheek. He hugged her around her slim waist.

"Just tellin' Dick that he can't go around corrupting everyone," he replied, only half joking.

Karen chuckled and Vic pointed at Kori and whispered something in Karen's ear. She whistled.

"Aw, man, Dick. You got it bad," She said, shaking her head.

"Tell me about it!" Gar shouted. He was about to say something else, but the lunch bell sent a piercing ring through everyone's ears and they trekked off to the cafeteria.

Richard was not looking forward to sitting at the same table as Kori.

* * *

I used 'Xavier Redd' from a number of other stories. I just couldn't find another X name that didn't look like Xylophone. Please don't kill me!

Eh, I guess it was a little better than chapter one.  
Keep in mind that this was my first story.

Oh, and one more thing.  
You can't really make a Romance/Drama for Rob/Star without having Red X, can you?  
There's one other person that makes it complete.  
Any guesses?

Review!


	3. Chapter 3: Lunch

Thanks to **mikihinna**,** kjesStar**,** Harry Potter Fan 1994**,** WalterUnaForever**_**,**_** danielle (anon)**,** CastroLuvr (anon)**,and** lupineeyes (anon)** for reviewing. I can't take advice to save my life. But I seriously appreciate all the nice reviews you guys are giving me! No, scratch that, I love them! Please keep it up!

This one's kind of short in Richard's POV. Don't read it if you don't want to. I know I said that chapter 5 would be where you'd have to read both, but it's more of a Kori-based chapter. If you wanna read Richard's, you can. I think it's kinda funny .

I don't own TT or anything else mentioned below.

* * *

Karen offered to drive Rachel and Kori over to her house to pick out swim suits. Rachel said she didn't need a swim suit, she wasn't going to swim. But Kori loved the water, so she agreed to go and the two girls took off in Karen's Volkswagen Beetle. **(A/N I spelled it right!) **

"Wow!" Kori glanced at the car before getting in "You made it look like a bumble bee!"

"Yeah, the idea was Sparky's," Karen said, referring to Vic. "Ya know, since it's a 'bug', my last name is Beescher, and my favorite animal is a bumble bee, he thought it would be cute. He was right," She chuckled and started the car.

"Your favorite animal is a..."

"Bumble bee, that's right!"

"Would you mind explaining why?" Kori asked.

Karen laughed. "Oh, of course not! I like them because we have the same kind of 'don't mess with me' attitude. You mess with them, they sting you. You mess with me, I sting you. Well, not literally. I can hit decently and say some pretty mean stuff, but that's about it. I've always wanted to be able to sting someone for real, though. Maybe with little B-shaped handles that are flowing with electricity or something. Sparky could make them for me, he's my tech man," She beamed and started laughing. Kori did the same.

"I have also had one of those kinds of fantasies," She began. Karen's eyebrows shot up in anticipation.

"Nevermind," Kori reconsidered dishing her childhood vision.

"Aw, that's no fair!" Karen playfully whined. "I told you mine! No matter how silly it is, you can tell me. I won't tell anyone, I promise,"

Kori decided to give in. "Okay," she told Karen. "I have always wanted glowing stuff that shoots out of my hands when I'm mad. Maybe purple, it is my favorite color. I would be able to fly when I felt happy and be super-strong when I felt confident. My powers would be fueled by the sun –I am big on solar energy. I am somewhat of an environmentalist- and the stars would help feed it, too. I do not know, I think it is kind of stupid, but-"

"Oh my god, Kori!" Karen squealed, interrupting. "That would be so awesome!"

Kori smiled. "You think so?" she asked.

"Definitely," Karen nodded. "OOH, we could call them STARBOLTS. Get it? 'Cause they're powered by a giant star?" She snickered. "Although, I think the 'starbolts' should be green. It would match your eyes. They're gorgeous, by the way. Are you sure they're not color contacts?" She joked.

"I am positive, and thanks," Kori grinned. She could tell her and Karen were going to be great friends.

They pulled into what was apparently Karen's driveway and Karen bounced out of the car. Kori joined. They had a skipping race to the front door. Kori won, and both the girls burst out laughing.

"You know, Kori," Karen began, unlocking the door. "I don't normally act this way, I'm more of a laid-back, just-there kinda girl. But you're so girly, it rubs off on me! Makes me feel happy,"

"I did not realize I was like that," Kori said, thinking about it. "I have been this way my whole life, I guess,"

Karen swung open the door and stepped inside. "Welcome to my humble abode!" She said.

And that's exactly what it was. Humble. It wasn't big, but it wasn't crowded. It was cozy, with wood floors and bright colored curtains all over the place. Karen led the way down a narrow hallway. She made a sharp left and flung open the door. It pounded the wall with undying force, and Kori cringed.

"Sorry about that," Karen apologized. "I always do that. I'm surprised my door hasn't made a hole from the amount that I've slammed it against that wall,"

"I sometimes do things like that. I have been told I do not know my own strength," Kori replied.

"I heard that!" Karen said, sitting on her bed. The girls removed their shoes. Karen sat up and walked over to a stereo and pressed play. It started blasting the song 'Dancin in the Street' by Atomic Kitten, and Karen began singing along, rather loudly. Evidently no one else was home.

Karen bent down to the bottom drawer of a dresser. She pulled it out to expose at least 25 different swim suits.

"Rummage," she said. The doorbell rang, and she went to answer it.

Kori searched through the pile, past pink and white stringy bikinis and dark colored one-pieces. She saw something lime green out of the corner of her eye and yanked at it. It was a pair of boy shorts. She rearranged everything in the drawer until she found the match. It was a simple spaghetti-strap tankini top, lime green as well. She laid her findings out on Karen's bed.

"Hey Kori!" Karen called from the front door. "There's someone I want you to meet!

Kori padded down the hallway's wood floor in her bare feet and turned the corner to see a short boy with blondish-brown hair. He saw Kori and gaped.

Karen chuckled. "This is Mark," she said. "He and his twin brother Michael live next door. They run track at their middle school,"

"So you are thirteen?" Kori asked.

Mark nodded.

"He's just speechless 'cause you're so pretty, Kor. Ignore him. You know how kids can be,"

Mark mumbled something in a different language and glared and Karen.

"OH, you are NOT doing this again!" Karen said, exasperated, but with a slight smirk on her face. She turned to Kori. "Mark and Michael are fluent in Spanish. No one ever knows what they're saying except Gar, but he can't speak it. Now what did you say, Mark?"

"I said," he muttered. "I am not a kid,"

Kori giggled. Karen turned Mark around by his shoulder and pushed him towards the door. "Bye, now! We have to go!"

"Bye, Kori..." Mark said before Karen slammed the door behind him.

"Sorry about that, girl," Karen said, beginning to walk back towards her room. "Him, his brother, and I sometimes hang out after school. Did you find a swim suit?"

"Yeah, I set it on your bed," Kori responded. Karen entered her room and stopped short.

"Oh my god, girl..." She began slowly. "That will look amazing on you! Go put it on, right now!" Kori was handed the tankini and directed towards the bathroom, which was right across the hall.

She finished changing and stepped into Karen's room, seeing that Karen herself had decided on a gold, shimmery bikini. Strapless. Karen handed Kori a dress-like thing, a beach bag, and some flip-flops. She grabbed the same items herself.

"Ready to go?" she asked.

"Ready to go," Kori replied, smiling.

"This party's gonna rock," Karen said, bounding out to her car and starting the engine, Kori sliding in the passenger seat.

They drove off to Vic's.

* * *

Karen plucked her car keys out of her purse.

"Hey Kor, Rachel, do 'yall wanna go get swimsuits at my house?" she said.

"Don't swim," Rachel muttered.

Kori clapped her hands together excitedly and grinned. Richard felt his face get red. Luckily, no one was paying attention.

"I love to swim! Let's go!" Kori said, grabbing Karen's hand excitedly.

"Awesome!" Karen said, walking to her car with Kori. "See 'yall soon!"

The door slammed shut and the four remaining friends looked around at each other. Richard and Gar followed Vic into his airy bedroom. Richard sat down on the bed while Gar laid down on the couch. Vic began hiding his valuable items from his home in various places.

"So Dick," Gar said. "What was up with you today? You seemed kinda... pissed off,"

Richard grunted.

Vic rolled his eyes and snorted. "Aw, c'mon man. We both know you're not yourself, so you can open up. For Pete's sake, it won't kill you!"

"Or will it?" Richard scoffed.

"What's your deal?" Gar barked.

"Man, whadaya' think it is?" Vic said, putting a glass vase wrapped up in his sock drawer.

The two exchanged a look and smirked.

"Kori," they said in unison. Richard grabbed a pillow and chucked it at them. They stepped apart, dodging it easily.

"Dude, you're losing it," Gar said, shaking his head.

"Losing what? Richard snapped. "If you think I like Kori so much, then you're wrong. I hate her."

Vic and Gar looked at each other with confused faces.

"Since when?" Vic said, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"And why?" Gar said, mimicking Vic's actions.

Richard sighed. _This isn't going to be easy. _"Since I met her. She's too friendly, and... happy for me," he lied.

Gar snorted and Vic smiled.

"This is too easy," Vic said, taking two steps over to Richard and standing next to him, trying to hold in laugher. Gar was on the verge of tears from trying not to smile.

_What the-? _Richard's thoughts were cut off by Vic putting him in a headlock.

"OW! Cut it out, that hurts!" Richard said, scratching at Vic's arms.

"Naw, man. Not till you tell us the truth!" Vic said, not loosening up on Richard's neck.

"FINE!" Richard screamed, shoving Vic away. "You wanna know _so bad_?" he asked, fuming. "I hate her because I hate me for liking her so much! And I hate liking her because I can't like her because she's too nice and I can't have her cause I'm a total DICK! SATISFIED?" He sat down on the bed and put his face in his hands.

"Aw shit, dude!" Gar said, running his hands through his short blonde hair. "No need to get mad,"

"Yeah, man. We were just trying to get you to admit that you liked her," Vic said, stepping up beside Gar.

"Just quit harassing me, okay?" Richard said, suddenly very solemn. He rubbed his temples and sat there looking defeated, worn out, and overwhelmed. Which was very unlike him.

"It's just a girl, Dick." Vic said, trying so hard not to let is show that this was uncomfortable.

"Yeah, there are... oh, what is it... other fish in the sea! I could be a fish if I wanted to, do you want me to be your fish, Dick?" Gar asked, making a fish face, desperately wanting to cheer Richard up.

Richard smiled slightly and sighed.

Vic continued hiding breakables. Gar sat back down on the couch and stared up at the ceiling, trying to find patterns in the textured material.

"Aw, hell. I just realized something," Vic said. Richard and Gar looked up at him. Vic went on. "Dick, you like Kori this much, and we talk about her like this, right?"

Gar and Richard exchanged a glance and nodded their heads at Vic.

_Where is this going?_

"Even Karen talks about her. They're becoming friends, did you know that? Anyways, all this new... emotion... is surfacing cause of Kori, and-"

Gar groaned and flopped down onto the couch. "Spit it out already," he said.

"Yeah really," Richard said.

Vic took a deep breath. "We just met her this morning," he said.

Richard's eyes got wide behind his glasses and moaned. Gar gasped and hit himself in the head.

"How could I have not noticed that?" Gar said, shaking his head. "Good God, good God, good God," Gar started chanting. Richard just sat there dazed. Vic nodded his head and repeated himself.

"Yeah, we just met her this morning and she's already caused this much... I wouldn't say trouble... but you know what I mean," he said, returning to his burying of glass items.

_This is true. _Richard thought to himself. _She's caused me so much... something. But then again, that's kind of my fault._

_Yeah, it is..._

Vic looked up. "And besides," he said, positioning his gaze on Richard. "Is she really worth the hassle?

The question floated around in Richard's head, more of a statement than a question.

_Is she really worth the hassle..._

_Is she really worth the hassle..._

_Is she really worth the hassle..._

_Yes._

_

* * *

_

Ah, pointless yet again!

I was dying of laughter while turning Mas y Menos into 13 year old fanboys.  
It was so aweomse!

Yes, Richard was OOC. Sorry. It's kind of hard for me, to get him IC. I'll get better with practice, I guarantee it.

Well, review?


	4. Chapter 4: Vic's house

Thanks so much to **kjesStar**, **Harry Potter Fan 1994**, **danielle**, **lupineeyes**, and **CastroLuvr** for reviewing so far! Thanks for your advice and encouragement!

Yes, this is quite short. Kind of a 'filler' since I wrote this chapter the week of dance camp, and I really didn't have much time (but I pride myself because I only had a few hours to write this). I felt like updating. I have a record of doing that fast XD

You don't have to read both POVs on this chapter, by the way. It may have both of their thoughts, and various settings, but there's nothing too different. I can't say the same for chapter 5, though.

Anyways, I don't own TT or anything else maybe mentioned below.

* * *

"Here we are, 'yall!" Vic shouted, opening the door to his game room and flipping the light switch. School let out an hour and a half ago, and Vic had just finished giving them the tour of his big, welcoming home.

Kori gasped.

"Dude," Gar began, wide eyed. "If you think this game room is big, wait till you see Dick's!"

Richard shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably, and Kori started to look around.

_This house is huge._

Vic walked to a door at the back of the room. "And this is the pool..." he said, opening the door and pointing out towards a great-looking pool. It had 3 tables with chairs and umbrellas, 5 lounge chairs, a few beach balls, and a diving board. The pool itself had to be at least 50' X 100'.

_It'd be a great pool for a party..._

As if Karen was reading Kori's thoughts, she turned to Vic with a malicious expression on her dark skin. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" She said to Vic.

Vic smiled back and nodded.

"Oh, no!" Gar shouted. "You remember what happened last time you threw a-"

"PARTY!" Vic and Karen hollered, running back into the house.

Gar tagged along behind them, a defeated look on his face. Richard and Rachel followed with blank expressions.

"Please, where are we-"

"Kitchen," Rachel uttered in her signature monotone, stopping Kori mid-sentence.

It didn't take that long to get ready for the party, what with Karen preparing the food, Vic fixing the sound system, speakers, and lights, and Gar (reluctantly) putting up decorations. Rachel was reading in a dark chair in the corner of the room, and Richard was staring off into space, while Kori sat eagerly on the edge of her seat, watching the excitement.

Vic walked into the living room/kitchen and smiled. "Stereo's workin' like a charm," he said. He glanced around the room and smirked at Richard. "There's the Richard we all know and love!" he said jubilantly. Richard scowled. "Rachel," Vic went on. "You do know you're going to have to vacate that seat when the guests start arriving, right?"

Rachel removed her eyes from her book and nodded silently.

Vic beamed and ripped out his cell phone. He dialed a number and put his ear to the receiver.

"Hey, man! What's up?" Vic said into the phone. "Naw, practice is still off for tomorrow. I called to tell you to get as many guys on the team to come to my place," Vic paused, listening to the person's reply. "Yes, I'm havin' a party! You should know me by now, man!" It was quiet except for the mumbling of the guy on the phone. "Great!" Vic bellowed. "Get the girls to come, too!" he said, and snapped his phone shut.

"I got one more call to make. Kar, are you gonna call anyone?" Vic

Karen pondered this for a moment. "I think I might call Kristen. Kori, do you want to invite anyone?"

_I should invite Jamie and Angelica, they'd want to come._

_But what if they don't like these guys? It was kind of awkward when I sat with them at lunch..._

Kori fingered the cell phone in her pocket, debating on calling them or not.

"Hello?" Karen asked, waving a hand in front of Kori's face. "Anybody home?"

"Oh, no! I mean, yes! I mean, no, I would not like to invite anyone," Kori stammered, adding a wide grin.

"Suit yourself," Karen said, walking into the kitchen and picking up the phone on the wall. Vic strolled into the other room, flipping open his cell again.

Gar groaned. "This is gonna be a long night"

* * *

"This is pointless," Richard said, dragging his feet behind Rachel down the hallways in Vic's spacious home.

"Everything is pointless. Wanna talk about it?" Rachel murmured.

Richard rolled his eyes behind his sunglasses at Rachel's obvious sarcasm, and pushed by her to go talk to Vic. He heard Kori gasp.

"Dude," Gar began, wide eyed. "If you think this game room is big, wait till you see Dick's!"

Richard shifted from foot to foot. _No way is she ever setting foot in my h-_

Vic walked to a door at the back of the room. "And this is the pool," he said, opening the door and pointing out towards his backyard pool. Kori looked amazed.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Karen said, turning to Vic.

_Oh for the love of god, not another party! _Richard debated on saying this out loud, but decided against it.

"Oh, no!" Gar shouted. "You remember what happened last time you threw a-"

"PARTY!" Vic and Karen hollered, running back into the house.

Gar tagged along behind them, a defeated look on his face. Richard and Rachel followed with blank expressions. Richard tried so hard not to grin.

"Please, where are we-"

"Kitchen," Rachel uttered in her signature monotone, stopping Kori mid-sentence.

Eventually, everyone began getting the house ready for the party. Rachel sat reading, and Kori was watching enthusiastically.

_Jeez, maybe you _should_ start calling yourself 'Dick'. Why so sour? _

_Shut. Up._

_She didn't do anything to you, and you're not normally this grumpy around your friends._

_I'm Richard Grayson. I can do whatever I want to do._

Vic walked into the room and smiled. "Stereo's workin' like a charm," he said. He turned to smirk at Richard. "There's the Richard we all know and love!" he said gleefully. Richard could tell he wasn't serious, and that he probably knew what Richard was thinking.

Richard scowled. "Rachel," Vic continued. "You do know you're going to have to vacate that seat when the guests start arriving, right?"

Rachel looked up and nodded silently.

Vic beamed and ripped out his cell phone. He dialed a number and put his ear to the receiver.

"Hey, man! What's up?" Vic said into the phone. "Naw, practice is still off for tomorrow. I called to tell you to get as many guys on the team to come to my place," Vic paused, listening to the person's reply. "Yes, I'm havin' a party! You should know me by now, man!" It was quiet except for the mumbling of the guy on the phone. "Great!" Vic bellowed. "Get the girls to come, too!" he said, and snapped his phone shut.

"I got one more call to make. Kar, are you gonna call anyone?" Vic

Karen pondered this for a moment. "I think I might call Kristen. Kori, do you want to invite anyone?"

Kori just sat, dazed.

"Hello?" Karen asked, waving a hand in front of Kori's face. "Anybody home?"

"Oh, no! I mean, yes! I mean, no, I would not like to invite anyone," Kori stammered, adding a wide grin.

_That girl is something else._

"Suit yourself," Karen said, walking into the kitchen and picking up the phone on the wall. Vic strolled into the other room, flipping open his cell again.

Gar groaned. "This is gonna be a long night"

* * *

Teehee. Richard talked back to his mind.

Ready for the party?

LOL it's very interesting, I've already started chapter 5.

Review?


	5. Chapter 5: Stinging and Starbolts

Thanks to **mikihinna**,** kjesStar**,** Harry Potter Fan 1994**,** WalterUnaForever**_**,**_** danielle (anon)**,** CastroLuvr (anon)**,and** lupineeyes (anon)** for reviewing. I can't take advice to save my life. But I seriously appreciate all the nice reviews you guys are giving me! No, scratch that, I love them! Please keep it up!

This one's kind of short in Richard's POV. Don't read it if you don't want to. I know I said that chapter 5 would be where you'd have to read both, but it's more of a Kori-based chapter. If you wanna read Richard's, you can. I think it's kinda funny .

I don't own TT or anything else mentioned below.

* * *

Karen offered to drive Rachel and Kori over to her house to pick out swim suits. Rachel said she didn't need a swim suit, she wasn't going to swim. But Kori loved the water, so she agreed to go and the two girls took off in Karen's Volkswagen Beetle. **(A/N I spelled it right!) **

"Wow!" Kori glanced at the car before getting in "You made it look like a bumble bee!"

"Yeah, the idea was Sparky's," Karen said, referring to Vic. "Ya know, since it's a 'bug', my last name is Beescher, and my favorite animal is a bumble bee, he thought it would be cute. He was right," She chuckled and started the car.

"Your favorite animal is a..."

"Bumble bee, that's right!"

"Would you mind explaining why?" Kori asked.

Karen laughed. "Oh, of course not! I like them because we have the same kind of 'don't mess with me' attitude. You mess with them, they sting you. You mess with me, I sting you. Well, not literally. I can hit decently and say some pretty mean stuff, but that's about it. I've always wanted to be able to sting someone for real, though. Maybe with little B-shaped handles that are flowing with electricity or something. Sparky could make them for me, he's my tech man," She beamed and started laughing. Kori did the same.

"I've also had one of those kinds of fantasies," She began. Karen's eyebrows shot up in anticipation.

"Nevermind," Kori reconsidered dishing her childhood vision.

"Aw, that's no fair!" Karen playfully whined. "I told you mine! No matter how silly it is, you can tell me. I won't tell anyone, I promise,"

Kori decided to give in. "Okay," she told Karen. "I've always wanted glowing stuff that shoots out of my hands when I'm mad. Maybe purple, it's my favorite color. I would be able to fly when I felt happy and be super-strong when I felt confident. My powers would be fueled by the sun -I'm big on solar energy. I'm somewhat of an environmentalist- and the stars would help feed it, too. I don't know, it's kind of stupid, but-"

"Oh my god, Kori!" Karen squealed, interrupting. "That would be so awesome!"

Kori smiled. "You think?" she asked.

"Definitely," Karen nodded. "OOH, we could call them STARBOLTS. Get it? 'Cause they're powered by a giant star?" She snickered. "Although, I think the 'starbolts' should be green. It would match your eyes. They're gorgeous, by the way. Are you sure they're not color contacts?" She joked.

"I'm positive, and thanks," Kori grinned. She could tell her and Karen were going to be great friends.

They pulled into what was apparently Karen's driveway and Karen bounced out of the car. Kori joined. They had a skipping race to the front door. Kori won, and both the girls burst out laughing.

"You know, Kori," Karen began, unlocking the door. "I don't normally act this way, I'm more of a laid-back, just-there kinda girl. But you're so girly, it rubs off on me! Makes me feel happy,"

"I didn't realize I was like that," Kori said, thinking about it. "I've been this way my whole life, I guess,"

Karen swung open the door and stepped inside. "Welcome to my humble abode!" She said.

And that's exactly what it was. Humble. It wasn't big, but it wasn't crowded. It was cozy, with wood floors and bright colored curtains all over the place. Karen led the way down a narrow hallway. She made a sharp left and flung open the door. It pounded the wall with undying force, and Kori cringed.

"Sorry about that," Karen apologized. "I always do that. I'm surprised my door hasn't made a hole from the amount that I've slammed it against that wall,"

"I sometimes do things like that. I've been told I don't know my own strength," Kori replied.

"I heard that!" Karen said, sitting on her bed. The girls removed their shoes. Karen sat up and walked over to a stereo and pressed play. It started blasting the song 'Dancin in the Street' by Atomic Kitten, and Karen began singing along, rather loudly. Evidently no one else was home.

Karen bent down to the bottom drawer of a dresser. She pulled it out to expose at least 25 different swim suits.

"Rummage," she said. The doorbell rang, and she went to answer it.

Kori searched through the pile, past pink and white stringy bikinis and dark colored one-pieces. She saw something lime green out of the corner of her eye and yanked at it. It was a pair of boy shorts. She rearranged everything in the drawer until she found the match. It was a simple spaghetti-strap tankini top, lime green as well. She laid her findings out on Karen's bed.

"Hey Kori!" Karen called from the front door. "There's someone I want you to meet!

Kori padded down the hallway's wood floor in her bare feet and turned the corner to see a short boy with blondish-brown hair. He saw Kori and gaped.

Karen chuckled. "This is Mark," she said. "He and his twin brother Michael live next door. They run track at their middle school,"

"So you're thirteen?" Kori asked.

Mark nodded.

"He's just speechless 'cause you're so pretty, Kor. Ignore him. You know how kids can be,"

Mark mumbled something in a different language and glared and Karen.

"OH, you are NOT doing this again!" Karen said, exasperated, but with a slight smirk on her face. She turned to Kori. "Mark and Michael are fluent in Spanish. No one ever knows what they're saying except Gar, but he can't speak it. Now what did you say, Mark?"

"I said," he muttered. "I am not a kid,"

Kori giggled. Karen turned Mark around by his shoulder and pushed him towards the door. "Bye, now! We have to go!"

"Bye, Kori..." Mark said before Karen slammed the door behind him.

"Sorry about that, girl," Karen said, beginning to walk back towards her room. "Him, his brother, and I sometimes hang out after school. Did you find a swim suit?"

"Yeah, I set it on your bed," Kori responded. Karen entered her room and stopped short.

"Oh my god, girl..." She began slowly. "That will look amazing on you! Go put it on, right now!" Kori was handed the tankini and directed towards the bathroom, which was right across the hall.

She finished changing and stepped into Karen's room, seeing that Karen herself had decided on a gold, shimmery bikini. Strapless. Karen handed Kori a dress-like thing, a beach bag, and some flip-flops. She grabbed the same items herself.

"Ready to go?" she asked.

"Ready to go," Kori replied, smiling.

"This party's gonna rock," Karen said, bounding out to her car and starting the engine, Kori sliding in the passenger seat.

They drove off to Vic's.

* * *

Karen plucked her car keys out of her purse.

"Hey Kor, Rachel, do 'yall wanna go get swimsuits at my house?" she said.

"Don't swim," Rachel muttered.

Kori clapped her hands together excitedly and grinned. Richard felt his face get red. Luckily, no one was paying attention.

"I love to swim! Let's go!" Kori said, grabbing Karen's hand excitedly.

"Awesome!" Karen said, walking to her car with Kori. "See 'yall soon!"

The door slammed shut and the four remaining friends looked around at each other. Richard and Gar followed Vic into his airy bedroom. Richard sat down on the bed while Gar laid down on the couch. Vic began hiding his valuable items from his home in various places.

"So Dick," Gar said. "What was up with you today? You seemed kinda... pissed off,"

Richard grunted.

Vic rolled his eyes and snorted. "Aw, c'mon man. We both know you're not yourself, so you can open up. For Pete's sake, it won't kill you!"

"Or will it?" Richard scoffed.

"What's your deal?" Gar barked.

"Man, whadaya' think it is?" Vic said, putting a glass vase wrapped up in his sock drawer.

The two exchanged a look and smirked.

"Kori," they said in unison. Richard grabbed a pillow and chucked it at them. They stepped apart, dodging it easily.

"Dude, you're losing it," Gar said, shaking his head.

"Losing what? Richard snapped. "If you think I like Kori so much, then you're wrong. I hate her."

Vic and Gar looked at each other with confused faces.

"Since when?" Vic said, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"And why?" Gar said, mimicking Vic's actions.

Richard sighed. _This isn't going to be easy. _"Since I met her. She's too friendly, and... happy for my liking," he lied.

Gar snorted and Vic smiled.

"This is too easy," Vic said, taking two steps over to Richard and standing next to him, trying to hold in laugher. Gar was on the verge of tears from trying not to smile.

_What the-? _Richard's thoughts were cut off by Vic putting him in a headlock.

"OW! Cut it out, that hurts!" Richard said, scratching at Vic's arms.

"Naw, man. Not till you tell us the truth!" Vic said, not loosening up on Richard's neck.

"FINE!" Richard screamed, shoving Vic away. "You wanna know _so bad_?" he asked, fuming. "I hate her because I hate me for liking her so much! And I hate liking her because I cant like her because she's too nice and I can't have her cause I'm a total DICK! SATISFIED?" He sat down on the bed and put his face in his hands.

"Aw shit, dude!" Gar said, running his hands through his short blonde hair. "No need to get mad,"

"Yeah, man. We were just trying to get you to admit that you liked her," Vic said, stepping up beside Gar.

"Just quit harassing me, okay?" Richard said, suddenly very solemn. He rubbed his temples and sat there looking defeated, worn out, and overwhelmed. Which was very unlike him.

"It's just a girl, Dick." Vic said, trying so hard not to let is show that this was uncomfortable.

"Yeah, there are... oh, what is it... other fish in the sea! I could be a fish if I wanted to, do you want me to be your fish, Dick?" Gar asked, making a fish face, desperately wanting to cheer Richard up.

Richard smile slightly and sighed.

Vic continued hiding breakables. Gar sat back down on the couch and stared up at the ceiling, trying to find patterns in the textured material.

"Aw, hell. I just realized something," Vic said. Richard and Gar looked up at him. Vic went on. "Dick, you like Kori this much, and we talk about her like this, right?"

Gar and Richard exchanged a glance and nodded their heads at Vic.

_Where is this going?_

"Even Karen talks about her. They're becoming friends, did you know that? Anyways, all this new... emotion... is surfacing cause of Kori, and-"

Gar groaned and flopped down onto the couch. "Spit it out already," he said.

"Yeah really," Richard said.

Vic took a deep breath. "We just met her this morning," he said.

Richard's eyes got wide behind his glasses and moaned. Gar gasped and hit himself in the head.

"How could I have not noticed that?" Gar said, shaking his head. "Good God, good God, good God," Gar started chanting. Richard just sat there dazed. Vic nodded his head and repeated himself.

"Yeah, we just met her this morning and she's already caused this much... I wouldn't say trouble... but you know what I mean," he said, returning to his burying of glass items.

_This is true. _Richard thought to himself. _She's caused me so much... something. But then again, that's kind of my fault._

_Yeah, it is..._

Vic looked up. "And besides," he said, positioning his gaze on Richard. "Is she really worth the hassle?

The question floated around in Richard's head, more of a statement than a question.

_Is she really worth the hassle..._

_Is she really worth the hassle..._

_Is she really worth the hassle..._

_Yes._

* * *

Ah, pointless yet again!

I was dying of laughter while turning Mas y Menos into 13 year old fanboys.  
It was so aweomse!

Yes, Richard was OOC. Sorry. It's kind of hard for me, to get him IC. I'll get better with practice, I guarantee it.

Well, review?


	6. Chapter 6: Party?

Special thanks to **Harry Potter Fan 1994**,** mikihinna**,** kjesStar**,** WalterUnaForever**_**,**_** danielle (anon)**,** CastroLuvr (anon)**,** lupineeyes (anon), RobinxStarfireLuvr**, and **Muzik Maniac **for reviewing. It helps! Thank you guys so much for being supportive of my crappy writing! Lol...

WOOT!  
PLOT CHANGE!  
Argghhh, I hate having Xavier get to Kori before Richard! He'll be out of the picture soon though, once I get over my writer's block and figure out a way for Richard to kick his butt.  
It's such bad writer's block. It took me three days alone to write this chapter.  
It sucks, though. Cause I'm trying to write a flashback chapter, and no ideas come to mind.  
I'll get over it soon, I hope.

Anyways, enjoy!

I don't own TT or anything else mentioned below.

* * *

The group by Vic's pool grew fast, and soon there were at least a good 60 people dancing and talking and swimming. It was only 5:45, and it was still light out.

Kori bobbed in the deep end of the pool next to Karen and Kristen, accepting an invitation to go shopping the next day. She smiled at one of Kristen's jokes then looked around. She saw a familiar face enter the backyard.

"Xavier!" Kori shouted, waving to him and pulling herself out of the pool.

"Hey cutie, I didn't know you were friends with Vic!"

Kori blushed when he called her 'cutie', but easily shook the feeling away. "I did not\t know _you _were!" She said, flipping her hair flirtatiously over one shoulder.

Xavier chuckled and shook his head. "I'm not, really. Vic always invites his homeroom class, the football team, cheerleaders, and friends when he throws a party," he said, smiling down at Kori. _He's got a mischievous smile, that one._

_Way better than stupid Richard's, right?_

_Hmmm... maybe._

"Oh! But... I did not know that there were _this_ many people in those," Kori said.

"Yeah," Xavier began. "But the crowd grows like hell once the word gets out that he's having a shindig like this,"

Kori frowned at his language. "Cool," she mumbled.

"I would ask you to dance, but you're all wet," Xavier said, eyeing her dripping wet swimsuit. Kori knew the tankini was probably stuck to her figure like glue. She felt uncomfortable under his stare, so she nonchalantly plucked the fabric off her skin, letting it settle, much looser now.

"So I guess you will swim!" Kori said excitedly. Xavier grinned.

"Yepp," he said. He turned towards the house to go change, and Kori stood next to Karen and Kristen, who were still in the pool. She looked down.

Karen was scowling. Kristen was in shock.

"You _know him?" _she asked.

"Yeah, I have known him since the middle on the summer, when I first moved here," Kori said, smiling.

Karen just shook her head.

"What?" Kori asked, slightly confused and rather upset that her new friends did not like her crush.

"He's bad news, Kor," Karen said.

"He hangs out with all the wrong people," Kristen added.

"Jamie and Angelica hang out with him, and they are not bad people," Kori couldn't believe that Karen and Kristen were jumping to conclusions like this. "They are the ones who saved me from boredom this summer."

Karen shook her head again. "We've known them longer than you have, and trust me, they've done some pretty bad things. All of them," Kristen nodded in agreement. Kori looked down and sighed. Someone bumped into her and she went flying into the pool.

She hadn't been able to take a breath before she hit the water.

* * *

"Hey, Dick!" A blonde girl called, walking over to Richard and tapping his shoulder.

Richard knew who it was before he turned around. He ended up _not _turning around, and instead quickly pushed past people, away from Kitten.

_Okay, Kitten's here. Meaning Xavier's crew is here. Oh, goody._

Richard set off to find Rachel. She wouldn't talk to him, which was good. He didn't want to talk.

He found her sitting on the floor in a hallway reading. As always. He smiled and approached her.

Rachel looked up as Richard slid down the wall into place next to her. He turned his head towards her and raised his eyebrows.

"Whatcha' readin?" he asked.

"Edgar Alan Poe" Rachel said, much to Richard's surprise.

_Shit. She _will_ talk._

"So how is the party?" Rachel asked unenthusiastically.

Richard grunted.

"Aw, what's wrong?" Rachel questioned, a bit of sarcasm dripping off her tongue. "Haven't gotten to dance with Kori yet?"

"What?" Richard asked, dumbfounded.

"Oh, _come on,_ Dick," Rachel replied, marking the page in her book with her pinky. "It's obvious you like her,"

Richard turned his head away from Rachel so she wouldn't see him blush.

"I don't like her," he muttered.

Rachel coughed, and it sounded suspiciously like the word 'obvious'.

"I don't!" Richard replied defensively.

"Ob. Vious," Rachel responded, a barely noticeable grin on her face.

"I don't..." Richard said to reassure himself.

"Obbbbvvviiiooouuusssssss," Rachel drawled, stretching out the word with an uninterested tone.

Suddenly the two heard shouting. They stood up and rushed out to the pool. Kori was halfway on the concrete, not breathing and being hoisted out of the water by Xavier.

"Do any of 'yall know CPR?" Karen was shouting.

Richard knew CPR.

"I do," Richard said. "Bruce made me take a class,"

A few kids chuckled and Richard spun around.

"Hey, I wouldn't be laughing if I were you. I got to practice on a hot lifeguard, and I was her best students. Now if you excuse me, I have a life to save," Richard barked. The kids immediately shut up and Richard ran over to Kori.

He took her from Xavier and gently laid her on her back. He plugged her nose and pushed a breath into her mouth. After about 30 seconds, Kori stirred. You could feel the relief in the air.

Richard felt his face getting hot. He stood up abruptly and began walking away. He didn't want to see Kori's face when she saw he'd been the one who saved her. She'd know how he felt the second she looked into his eyes. Let her think it was someone else that had got her breathing again. _Anyone _else. Just _not him_.

Richard had reached the back of the crowd when a pale hand seized his shoulder. He spun around to come face to face with a smirking Rachel.

"Obvious," she whispered in his face.

Richard glared and fast-walked to his motorcycle. He hopped on and sped away.

* * *

Hee hee, Rachel got under Richard's skin!

Ah, I'm so sorry she was really OOC! I can't write about her, I'm too much of a happy person. I don't do sarcasm and darkness and hidden mystery and everything she is. But I tried, didn't I? You gotta give me some credit there.  
It was also her happier side, so there!

Was Richard more IC? Please tell me he kind of was.

Review?


	7. Chapter 6 and a half: Back into time

Thanks so much to **Harry Potter Fan 1994**,** mikihinna**,** kjesStar**,** WalterUnaForever_,_ danielle (anon)**,** CastroLuvr (anon)**,** lupineeyes (anon)**,** RobinxStarfireLuvr**,** Musik Maniac**,**XxXFairyQueenXxX**, and **ElementalMaster1304** for reviewing! It makes me feel so loved!

A chapter filled entirely with flashbacks.

Still in Kori's POV, and then Richard's.

Whoops, almost forgot the put the disclaimer.  
I don't own TT or anything mentioned below

* * *

**Flashback.**

_Kori sighed and looked out along the June horizon. The sparkling ocean water splashed cool waves onto a group of five friends. Kori sighed again and hugged her knees to her chest._

_"If only I could have them as my friends, I could be saved from a summer here in Jump City, while all my old friends are still in Cozumel," she muttered to herself. "Now I have to start school at the beginning of a new year with no one to talk to. And to top it all off, this is going to be the most boring summer of my lifetime,"_

_"Wow, that sounds harsh," a boy's voice said. Kori gasped and. A good looking, well-built, teenage boy with glittering light blue eyes was standing above Kori, grinning mischievously. _

_"I... Uh... Ummm..." She stuttered, trying to catch her breath._

_"It's okay," he said, holding out his hand for Kori to grab. "Maybe you _can _have them as your friends," He reached out his hand further, daring Kori to take it. She hesitated before sliding her palm into his grasp. He pulled her out of her wicker chair and kissed her hand._

_"Xavier Redd. Let's go meet your new friends" he said, smiling gently and pulling her towards the waves where the five people were playing in the water without a care in the world._

**End flashback.**

**-**

**Flashback. **

_Kori had figured out that the five people were a boy and four girls. As Xavier led Kori over to them, she noticed that the boy had light, scruffy brown hair. Two of the girls had bleach blonde hair, one had brown and red, and the last one had black hair. The one with brown and red hair walked over to Xavier and Kori._

_She eyed the two. "Hey X!" she said. "Who's your new friend here?"_

_Apparently, Xavier had realized that he was still holding Kori's hand, because he dropped it like it was on fire. "Kori," he said._

_The brunette/red haired girl grinned and held out her hand. "I'm Angelica, but you can call me Ang," she said. Kori shook Angelica's hand and they walked over to the other four. _

_"I'm Fang," the brown-haired boy said, baring his teeth as if he actually had fangs. One of the blondes let out a huff and stomped up to him. She snatched his hand and clutched it protectively. _

_"I'm Kitten," she said the name like royalty. "And Fang's my boyfriend, just to let you know," _

_Fang rolled his eyes and allowed Kitten to lead him back to where they had once been standing before. The other blonde approached._

_"Hey, what's up!? I'm Terra!" She said, jabbing her chest with her thumb. Kori noticed a few scrapes up and down her arms and legs, but knew it was just because of the rocks or sand or something. The black haired girl sauntered up to Kori._

_"I'm Jamie," she said. "And if you didn't know, we aren't really known as the best people around here. We're not bad people, honest. We just don't always do nice things. I hope you're okay with that," she finished, walking away, back to her group. Xavier glanced at Kori and joined his friends._

_Kori _wasn't _okay with that, but she had to start somewhere._

**End flashback. **

**-**

**Flashback.**

_"C'mon Kori," Kitten scoffed. "Don't be such a goody-goody. It'll be fun,"_

_Kori was sure it wouldn't be, but who was she to be rude to the people who had befriended her so quickly?_

_"It's okay," Xavier said, slinking an arm around Kori's waist and pulling her towards his side. "I won't let anything happen, okay?" _

_Kori nodded. Even though they weren't officially dating, Kori realized she had a crush on Xavier. A little one, but still a crush._

_"Hey guys." Angelica said, sliding open the garage-like door to Jamie's basement. "Jamie's mom's asleep. Time to go," She left the door open and slunk away._

_Terra grabbed a few backpacks. She handed one to Fang, one to Kitten, and kept the last one._

_"Let's go have fun" she said, climbing the narrow staircase to the first floor._

**End flashback.**

**-**

**Flashback.**

_"Oh man, that was so fun," Terra panted, out of breath from running._

_"Yeah," Kori agreed. It was okay and not really fun, but boy was it thrilling!_

_The girls heard sirens, and they were getting louder. Terra pulled Kori into an alleyway and they pressed themselves up against the cold brick, hidden by the shadows._

_Terra leaned towards Kori. "Have you ever done this before?" she breathed._

_Kori shook her head and Terra crept closer to Kori so their sides were touching. _

_"You should try it more often. Isn't it fun?" Terra asked, cheeks red. "I'm running off adrenaline," she whispered, her breath hot on Kori's ear._

_Kori secretly agreed that she too was running off adrenaline, but she would never admit this. Neither girl noticed that the sirens had stopped until a male figure ran into the alleyway._

_"Man, are you girls lucky I found you before they did," Fang said, grabbing one of each girls' elbows. "Follow me," he murmured, directing them down the street and into a car._

_"Have fun?" Xavier asked from the driver's seat. _

_"Hell yeah," Terra said, bouncing with energy. "I haven't had that much fun since me and Kitten used our 'discounts' to pick out Sadie Hawkins Day dresses,"_

_"I do not understand," Kori said. "Why would you have fun with a discount?"_

_Fang rolled his eyes and leaned around the passenger seat. "_Five finger discount, _Kori." he said._

_Kori was naïve but she wasn't stupid. She knew what the five finger discount was._

_Angelica, Jamie, and Kitten had eventually been picked up from their meeting spot._

_"Man, that was awesome," Angelica said, sliding into the seat Kori was in. There weren't enough seats in the van, so the four girls had to squeeze. Kitten was in the front seat with Fang._

_"Oh shit," Xavier said, looking in the rearview mirror. "Cops," he stepped on the gas pedal and made a sharp left._

**End Flashback.**

**-**

**Flashback.**

_"Run, you two!" Fang shouted, sliding into the driver's seat and speeding the car away from the cops. He had dropped Kori and Xavier off on the side of the road to run with the three backpacks. _

_Kori was gasping for air and her side burned, but she didn't dare stop running. Xavier slid his palm into hers and pulled her along faster. They rounded a corner and dropped down to the grass in a small alley-like courtyard._

_Kori began to cry._

_"Oh god," Xavier said, putting his arm around Kori's shoulders. "Don't cry. Why are you crying? There's no need to cry,"_

_Kori continued with her exasperated sobs and tried to complete a sentence. She failed miserably and fell into Xavier's shoulder. _

_After a while, Kori caught her breath and looked up at Xavier. He smirked._

_"Told you I wouldn't let anything happen," he said smugly. _

_Kori punched him in the arm._

_"Ow!" Xavier clutched his upper limb and winced. "What the hell, Kori?"_

_"We almost got caught! I cannot imagine what my parents would have said if I showed up at home in a police car. And with you! They _hate _you! That could have been so bad! I never should have-"_

_Xavier clapped a hand over Kori's mouth and stroked her hair._

_"They wouldn't have arrested us, Kori," he said. "We're a pack of teenagers walking around at night, and they got suspicious. But they wouldn't put us in the back of their car. It was just spray paint, it was no big deal. Plus, they couldn't have proved anything,"_

_Kori rolled her eyes. Sometimes this boy could be so stupid. _

_"We have backpacks full of empty spray paint cans, Xavier," she said, sighing._

_His grin faded. "Oh, right." he said._

**End Flashback.**

-

**Flashback.**

_"Knock, knock!" Gar said, entering Richard's room without permission. Richard rolled his eyes and slid his sunglasses off his face._

_"Good God, Gar," he said. "I thought you were Bruce. You sounded just like him,"_

_"Ha ha," Gar replied sarcastically._

_"So... why are you in my room again?" Richard asked, raising an eyebrow._

_"Babs is downstairs and she wants to talk to you. I told her I'd see if you were in here," Gar said nonchalantly, dropping down onto Richard's floor._

_"Tell her I'm dead," Richard replied, jamming his glasses back onto his face and lying down on his bed._

_"Nah, I already tried that. She wants to explain,"_

_"Explain, whatever," Richard scoffed. "She's a no-good, rotten whore, and I'm not going to allow her to waste my time!"_

_"Yeah, I told her that too," Gar sighed. "I don't think she's going to leave, Dick. I think you should talk to her,"_

_"Yeah, well I think you should talk to Rachel, but you're not going to do that, now are you?" Richard snapped._

_"She hates me, Dick. I don't think she'll even look at me ever again," Gar said, his face falling._

_"Maybe it's because you haven't apologized!" Richard retorted, massaging his temples._

_"She won't ever let me," Gar breathed._

_"Try. I'll tell you what, I'll talk to Babs if you talk to Rachel. Deal?"_

_Gar hesitated and then heaved a sigh of defeat. "Deal," he said reluctantly, shaking Richard's hand._

**End Flashback.**

**-**

**Flashback.**

_Richard watched out of the corner of his eye when Gar went to talk to Rachel. As usual, she showed no emotion. Gar looked horribly miserable. Richard smirked._

_"My god," he said to Vic. "You'd think they were a married couple," he gestured to Gar and Rachel._

_"Yeah..." Vic said, watching Gar begging at Rachel's feet for her to forgive him. "You think Rachel's gonna listen to him?"_

_"Nah, probably not," Richard said, shrugging his shoulders. "But I promised him I'd talk to Babs if he talked to Rachel"_

_"No way, man," Vic said, wide eyed. "Going back to Babs again?"_

_"Hell no," Richard retorted, grimacing. _

_"Then why tell Gar you were?"_

_"You know how I love to humor the chick. She thinks I'm actually gonna forgive her for all the shit she put me through," Richard barked angrily, slamming his locker. Barbara was still a sore spot for him._

_"Her and Xavier both," Vic muttered. _

_Richard nodded in agreement._

**End flashback.**

**-**

**Flashback.**

_"I promise you we didn't!" Babs cried, grabbing Richard's shoulders and forcing him to look into her piercing eyes._

_"Right," Richard snapped sarcastically._

_Babs put on her legendary "puppy dog pout" face. Richard blinked behind his sunglasses._

_"That doesn't work on me," he scoffed. "No matter who does it, it never works. I don't give in to the 'friggin sad eyes"_

_Babs dropped the look and delicately placed her hands on her hips._

_"Listen to me, it wasn't-"_

_"I'm _**not**_ going to listen to you, Babs," Richard said, a blank expression on his face._

_"You_ have_ to listen to me, Dick," Babs pleaded. "You shouldn't believe everything you hear, me and Xavier were-"_

_"If I'm not supposed to believe what I hear, then why believe you?" Richard snapped, turning on his heel and stomping down the freshman hallway. He could hear Babs shouting after him, but he ignored her. No use wasting his time any longer. She was out of his life forever. End of story._

_Richard reached Vic's locker to find Gar and Rachel arguing again. Vic was holding his head in his hands, exasperated._

_"You're such a selfish little prick, Gar! Did you know that?" Rachel cried, shoving Gar back by his shoulders. He made a disgusted face and stood up straight._

_"And you're a dark, creepy witch! But you don't hear me complaining!" Gar barked, getting up in her face and staring angrily. _

_Rachel stared at him with wide eyes. "What IS your problem?" She shouted. People that had been walking down the hallway were now speeding away, glancing nervously over their shoulders at the scene._

_"YOU are! I try to apologize and you treat me like I'm a fly buzzing in your ear!" Gar retorted._

_"You could have been a fly! You were being so annoying! Didn't anyone ever teach you to SHUT UP AND LEAVE GIRLS LIKE ME ALONE?" Rachel roared, leaning towards Gar, making him slant backwards. _

_Gar shook his head out of shock. "Girls like you? What's that supposed to mean!?"_

_Richard rolled his eyes. "Alright, you two. That's enough," he said._

_"I could so punch her if I wanted to," Gar growled, glaring at Rachel._

_"So why don't you, coward?" Rachel replied angrily._

_"Just kiss and make up already," Richard said somewhat jokingly, pushing Gar towards Rachel. _

_He hadn't expected them to actually kiss. But there it was, the first ever Gar/Rachel lip lock in Jump City history. Even if it was an accident._

They really should put this in the paper. _Richard thought. _It's never gonna happen again.

_The two stayed pressed together for a while. Apparently they realized what was going on, because they both broke free at the same time, looking confused, shocked, and still like they were going to kill each other. _

_Rachel blushed and quickly turned away, pulling the hood of her blue sweatshirt over her eyes. Gar blinked a few times and scratched his head._

_"Umm..." he said._

_"This does not mean you're forgiven," Rachel mumbled softly, walking away._

_Gar turned around to a thoroughly distressed Vic and Richard and beamed._

_"She so just forgave me," he said smugly._

* * *

I think I might do another one of these later in the story.  
Maybe.  
If I feel like it

Well... review?  
Please?


	8. Chapter 7: Your boyfriend

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I really don't feel like typing out the names so... yeah. Too many.

Okay, I'm going to be serious for a second here.  
This is not mean to be offensive or disrespectful  
Despite an accusation I got on my reviews, Xavier and Babs did NOT cheat Dick. I haven't even voiced what happened with the three yet. It was a totally different situation and I DO have originality, believe it or not. Also, Babs is not going to be in this story, except for in the flashbacks, because, obviously, she was a part of Richard's past. With this being said, please, do not jump to conclusions. And if you do choose to jump to conclusions, please do so nicely, and try not to be rude. This goes for past reviewers and future reviewers. Thank you.

Okay, ANYWAYS.  
This was a fun chapter to write.  
I don't know if it's much fun to read.

Yeah, I can't really think of much else to say other than HERE IS CHAPTER 7!

Oh, and...

DISCLAIMER:

I don't own TT.

* * *

_Kori coughed and slowly opened her eyes. A smiling Xavier was above her, holding her in his arms._

_Kori beamed and wrapped her arms around his neck, allowing him to hoist her up off the cold concrete. The crowd began to thin, as everyone went back to the party. But Karen and Kristen watched as Kori and Xavier conversed._

_"Thank you," Kori whispered, her forehead touching Xavier's. No one could hear her but him. She set her head down on his shoulder and hugged him tightly._

_Xavier stiffened for a moment but quickly hugged her back. _

_"It was nothing," he breathed. Kori released him and looked into his shimmering light blue eyes. He tilted her chin up to him with two fingers and began closing the space between them._

_Their lips connected, and they didn't care who saw._

-

Kori felt a hand cover her eyes and another slink around her waist.

"Guess who," The captor's voice was hot on Kori's neck.

She smiled and spun around, flinging her arms around her boyfriend.

"How was your weekend?" She managed to get through her smile.

"You would know," Xavier said. "We spent every waking moment together"

Kori giggled and allow Xavier to take her hand. They walked down the hallway with stares and a few 'OMGs' from the people who didn't know about them yet.

The couple approached Kori's locker.

"See you at lunch," Xavier said, kissing her cheek and sauntering off, leaving Kori with Angelica and Jamie, who were smiling and playfully elbowing Kori in her ribs.

"So?" Angelica prodded. "What happened at that party?"

"Yeah," Jamie added. "We leave him alone for barely 5 minutes and now you're his girl!"

Kori beamed and laughed along with her two friends. Kitten and Terra walked up just as the girls were beginning to calm down.

"So, Kori," Terra said lightheartedly. "Whats up with you and..." Terra gestured in the direction that Xavier had gone and winked.

Kori giggled and turned her head to come face-to-face with Kitten's scowl.

"What?" She asked, backing up.

Kitten narrowed her eyes and looked expectantly at Terra before stomping off.

"Okay," Angelica said, steaming mad. "What is HER deal?"

Terra sighed and rubbed her temples. "Fang broke up with her and now she spits on any healthy relationship"

Everyone rolled their eyes.

"Anyways," Terra began. "I better go with her. She _expects me to_"

Jamie motioned for her to go and turned to Angelica and Kori.

"Anyone else don't really care what Kitten says or does?"

Kori and Angelica nodded vigorously and their hands shot up.

Jamie smiled.

"Good," she said. "So I'm not the only one"

The three girls giggled and started walking to lunch, but a commotion outside of the courtyard drew their attention.

* * *

Richard glared through his glasses at Xavier, who was walking into the courtyard with a smug look on his face.

"Like he's king of the world," Richard mumbled, causing Karen to look questioningly in the direction Richard was facing. She turned back to him and rolled her eyes.

"We don't approve of the two either, Dick," She said. "But it's not like we can tell her who to date"

"But he's a total ass," Richard endorsed. "He shouldn't even _be _dating her. He wasn't gonna save her, he could care less"

"You're right," Karen sighed. "But you had your chances to tell her. How many of those chances did you take?"

Richard grunted.

"Answer: None," Karen went back to her lunch and Richard scooted out his chair and stood up.

No one seemed to care about or even notice Richard's sudden arising, except for Gar, Rachel, Vic, and Karen. Gar raised an eyebrow.

"Dude, what are you doing?" he asked.

Richard ignored Gar. He walked over to Xavier and tapped him on the shoulder.

Xavier spun around with an arrogant look on his features. He smirked.

"Aw, well if it isn't bird boy?" Xavier jeered. "And what do you want with me on this fine day? Perhaps to compliment me on my style? Or to bow down to me because I have gotten the girl?"

Richard narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists.

_Don't do it, man. _Vic's voice said inside Richard's mind.

_Yeah, it's not worth it dude. _The Head-Gar agreed.

_I bet it_ is_ worth it..._

Richard struck Xavier's chin and the boy stumbled backwards. He stood up and popped his neck.

"You're gonna wish you hadn't done that," Xavier growled, throwing a punch at Richard's stomach. Richard dodged the fist and twisted around, knocking Xavier onto the floor and stepping on his back. Richard sat on his knees on Xavier's spine and shoved his right ear into the floor.

"Listen up, buddy," Richard hissed.

Xavier groaned in pain and Richard took that as a signal to go on.

"If you continue to let Kori think that you value her life or even care about her, there are going to be consequences. You DON'T care about _anyone_ except yourself. TELL. HER. THE. TRUTH. Or there _will _be more of this," Richard was about to punch Xavier in the side to make the message clearer, but at that moment he was pulled onto his feet.

While he was being escorted to the principal's office he noticed Kori's face in the crowd that had gathered to watch the fight.

* * *

Aw, jeez. I can't write fight scenes to save my live.

School just started for me, and I knew I had to finish this chapter before I got swamped with homework.  
Yeah, that was a hint that I might not be able to write as much as I'd like to

Review?


	9. Chapter 8: Home Sweet Home

Good God, I had major writer's block trying to write this.  
I had to write it in sections.  
So I don't know how it turned out.

The idea I have for this story has a massive blank.  
I've got the beginning and last chapters, but those 10 or 12 in between...  
Well...  
I really haven't planned it out much._  
_-nervous glance-  
Heh... heh...

Anyways!  
This chapter...  
I introduce...  
Some people...  
HAHA!  
You're just gonna have to read the chapter!

I do not own Teen Titans.

* * *

Kori put one foot in front of the other as she traveled down the long cement sidewalk. It was leading her from school to an apartment complex, in which she shared an apartment with her parents and sister.

She breathed in cool air as the autumn breeze whipped her long, long hair around her face and chilled her arms and legs. She glanced around to see if there was anyone worth saying hello to. There were a few people at a gas station across the street, and a man watering the yard around a restaurant next to Kori. She waved at the man and continued walking.

When she got to her apartment complex, Kori jogged up the wooden stairs to 45D. She took a deep breath and turned the knob, pushing open the door and stepping inside.

Her sister, Karmen, immediately held up a chain with what looked like some sort of light emerald hanging off it. The pale gem sparkled in the florescent light, and the silver chain looked like string compared to it. Kori's eyes widened and she took the necklace from her sister.

"Where on earth did you get it?" She asked, bewildered.

"Not on _earth_," Karmen said sweetly, winking and strutting over to the kitchen counter.

Kori rolled her eyes and sat her backpack down on the couch, looking around the tiny apartment.

"Where are our parents?" She asked curiously.

"Oh, sister dear," Karmen replied. "They're out on a business trip, no need to worry," She winked again and took the sandwich she had just made herself into her room, shutting the door and leaving Kori alone.

Kori sighed and looked at the necklace again. The emerald was a light green, a few shades lighter than Kori's eyes, and it was shaped like an octagon. It sparkled like a diamond but was light as a feather. Kori unclasped the chain and re-clasped it around her neck, holding up the jewel to light. She smiled and dropped the emerald, letting it fall to her chest.

She had just gotten situated on her couch and made herself comfortable, when her phone rang. She knew Karmen wasn't going to answer it, so she reluctantly slid off the couch and picked up the phone on the wall.

"Hello?" she asked kindly.

A snort came from the other end, followed by; "Jeez cutie, you sound like a dork when you answer the phone. But it's one of the things I love about you"

Kori beamed and giggled, happy to hear Xavier's voice after the scare at school (even if it was calling her a dork). Richard Grayson had punched Xavier in the nose at lunch, apparently. All Kori saw was Richard being escorted to the office and Xavier being escorted to the nurse. She's heard the rest from everyone else.

"Are you okay?" She asked eagerly.

"I'm fine," Xavier reassured her. "Hey, let's go out tonight"

"Sure," Kori said without hesitation, and the two decided that Xavier would pick her up around 7:30. Kori ambled down the hallway to her room, pulling open the door and shutting it behind her. She took in the lavender incense and opened her closet door, revealing thousands of colors and hundreds of styles.

It took her an hour, but Kori finally decided on a pair of faded denim jeans and a pink peasant blouse, finishing off the look with hot pink wedges and dangling silver hoop earrings. She glimpsed at the digital clock on her bedside table. It read 7:00.

_I have time to eat something before I leave, then._

Kori didn't like eating on dates. No matter who it was with, she was always too nervous. She hoped Xavier wouldn't take her to dinner.

Kori strolled into the kitchen and began making herself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. She poured herself a tall glass of milk and sat down at the kitchen table, biting into her food and waiting for the doorbell to ring.

* * *

Richard sat in the passenger seat of a silver convertible, letting the wind blow back his ebony hair. Riding in the convertible made him feel good, but the feeling of riding a motorcycle... now THAT was a great feeling. It made Richard feel free, especially when he got to ride it by himself, and not with an annoying girl holding onto him for dear life, like she was going to fall off. Couldn't they see motorcycles were harmless?

Richard pushed his sunglasses farther up his nose and rested his elbow on the door as Albert pulled into the driveway of The Mansion. Richard grinned and slid out of the car.

_I love being rich._

Richard bounded up the stone steps, swinging open the huge double-doors and racing up the winding staircase to his room. He pushed open the door and flopped down onto his bed, throwing his backpack on a nearby chair.

He had stared at his ceiling for at least an hour, thinking about how in a few minutes he was probably going to die, when his cell phone started vibrating. Richard moaned and yanked it out of his pocket, flipping it open.

"Here we go," he said. "What do you want?"

Shouts and curses came from the other end of the line, and Richard pulled the phone away from his ear to keep it from bleeding.

"Yeah, yeah," Richard barked, pulling the receiver back to his face. "I know I got sent to the principal's office, but if you were me, you would have done the same thing," Richard snapped the phone shut and heaved a sigh of relief, sliding back down onto his pillow.

There was a knock at the door and Richard instructed the knocker to enter. Alfred sheepishly opened the door and handed Richard a silver tray with a packet of paper resting on top of it. Richard raised an eyebrow and took the packet, glancing over it.

Smoke shot out of his ears and fire engulfed his eyes.

Okay, not really. But Richard was angry. Angry with a capital A.

Richard stormed out of his room, marching up to the 'Office' of the house and pounding on the door with his fist. A humble 'Come in' was heard, and Richard crashed through the door. He collapsed into a leather chair and threw the script down on a desk, slamming his index finger down, pointing to the front page.

"You want ME to do THAT?" He shouted.

The man behind the desk nodded his head coolly.

"Forget it!" Richard screamed, outraged. "I'm not a pig! I won't be treated like one!"

"Well lookie there, Barbie," the man replied. "You've finally grown a backbone. Now, if only you could apply that to the women I see you waltzing around with. They aren't pigs, they shouldn't be treated like it. I wonder what they feel like, hmm?"

Richard stood up angrily and clenched his fists.

_My, my, there's a temper on you, Dick. You're losing it._

The man rolled his eye. "Now, now. Quit throwing cows around and calm your pretty little head"

Richard gritted his teeth and sank back into his chair.

"That's a good girl," The black-haired man smirked. "Now, I want you to read over the script again, and come in tomorrow for rehearsal. We've got to make ends meet, and people tell me this is the way. All those parties and meetings can spread word, you know"

"No, Bruce," Richard replied, eyes narrowed at his adoptive father. "I'm not doing anything. I'm not going to any more stupid parties or meetings, and I'm NOT acting in any stupid shampoo commercials. And what do you mean, 'make ends meet'? We're MILLIONAIRES, for God's sake!"

"I'll let you sleep on it, and we'll chat in the morning," Bruce smiled, slipping his hand under the script and holding it out for Richard to take.

Richard snatched it out of his hand and turned towards the door.

"Nighty night!" Bruce called.

Richard snarled in reply and stomped up to his room. The door slammed behind him and he sank to the floor, running his hands down his face and through his hair.

"He's getting back at me for being sent to the principal's office," he told himself.

* * *

I didn't feel like calling Blackfire 'Koma', even though that's like... her name. I felt like using something normal, so I did.

Also, I don't really know how Bruce Wayne acts, so he's going to be OC.  
Kinda based off of Dr. Cox from 'Scrubs'.  
You guys ever seen that show?  
It's the BEST SHOW OUT THERE.  
Right next to Teen Titans, of course.  
If you haven't seen it, you should check it out.

Review?


	10. Chapter 9: Pale pink lipstick

Well, here it is. Chapter 9.

THANKS SO MUCH TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED. I don't have time t put in all the names right now, I'll probably do it later though.

I advise you all to reread chapter 8.  
It's just an afterthought, but you might not get this chapter if you don't.  
Unless you're just amazing.  
Then you won't need to reread chapter 8.

Enjoy!

I DO NOT OWN TEEN TITANS  
(but I do own a tube of pink lipstick, LOL)  
(you'll get it when you read the chapter)

* * *

The buzzer sounded and Kori was down the stairs and out the door in under 30 seconds.

Xavier wrapped am arm around her waist and pulled her into him, kissing her neck. Kori giggled as Xavier's warm breath tickled her ear.

Xavier smiled and reluctantly let Kori go.

"You ready?" he said.

"All set," Kori replied as she slid into the passenger seat of Xavier's Black Mercedes. Xavier walked around to the driver's side and flopped into it, turning the keys in the ignition and pulling out of the apartment complex's parking lot.

"Where are we going?" Kori asked, eyebrows raised.

"You'll see," Xavier said with a smirk, as he slammed on the gas pedal and sped down the street in his black sports car.

-o-o-

"Wow," Kori said, shocked. "I can hear the music from all the way out here,"

"Relax, cutie. I just gotta stop by here to pick up something from a friend, and then we'll be outta here."

Kori was doubtful, but entered the colorfully lighted house with Xavier anyway. He immediately began talking to a group of guys, making wild gestures with his hands. He was apparently telling a story. Xavier began accepting drinks and snack from the people at the party.

Kori sat down against a wall and stared up at the ceiling.

_Xavier lied. We aren't going anywhere._

-o-o-

It had been at least an hour, and Kori had spent the whole time slouched against the wall. She had been offered a couple drinks, a dance here and there, but politely refused everything. She was about to go get Xavier to tell him she wanted to go home, but then she saw him pushing through the crowd.

"Hey, cutie," Xavier slurred, limping over to Kori. "C'mere."

Before Kori could reply, Xavier had picked her up, and was kissing her neck, semi-carrying her up a flight of stairs. Kori's eyes widen in realization of what was happening, and she kicked Xavier in the shin.

Hard.

Xavier doubled over in pain and dropped Kori on the stairs. She squeezed through a couple of the railings and dropped to the floor below her. In a few seconds, Xavier had descended the steps, two at a time, and was now inches away from Kori's nose, staring into her fearful eyes. He violently seized her left arm.

"Did you hear me?" He said through clenched teeth. "I said come here. I won't be humiliated in front of everyone."

"You are drunk," Kori said, trying to hide her fear and trying to pry his hand off her arm. His grip got tighter, and it hurt. A lot. "And you are hurting me," she added, about to cry.

"I don't really care," said Xavier menacingly, beginning to drag Kori back towards the stairs. No one was paying attention to the two.

"Please, Xavier," Kori begged. "No one is watching. You would not be humiliated. Let us just go home and then maybe, some day-"

Xavier growled, and that shut Kori up almost instantly. They were at the top of the stairs when a pair of warm hands ripped Kori from Xavier's threatening grip.

* * *

Richard had spent the good part of an hour slumped against his bedroom door, feeling sorry for himself. He had decided that enough was enough. Self pity didn't help much anyway.

"Maybe Wally needs a little company," Richard said, snatching some keys off his dresser and quickly making his way down to the garage.

-o-o-

Richard could spot the blinding neon lights from a block away. It was a wonder the neighbors never called the police about Wally's parties. It was just insane how much the boy liked to have unknown people in is house, eating his food and breaking the valuables.

It was also a wonder how he never got caught.

Richard parked his motorcycle on the side of the road, behind a black Mercedes. He made his way up the front steps, pushed open the door...

And immediately saw Kori sitting up against a wall.

Richard was about to turn and walk away to find Wally, but his breath caught in his throat and stopped him mid-step. Xavier was pushing towards the crowd towards Kori.

Richard's eyes narrowed, and he set off to find Wally.

-o-o-

After about 10 seconds of walking, Richard found Wally in the kitchen, Sitting on the counter making out with some girl.

"WHAT THE HELL, WALLY!" Richard screamed, whipping Wally around by his shoulder. Wally had pale pink lipstick all over his neck and face. Richard peered around Wally to come face-to-face with Jamie. Richard almost choked.

Then he laughed. A short laugh, but it was funny seeing a 'jock' making out with a 'punk'.

Jamie rolled her eyes and whispered seductively into Wally's ear, then gracefully walked away.

"She's drunk," Wally said with a bit of grief.

Richard snapped his head back to Wally. Wally raised an eyebrow, and Richard pointed behind himself at the room he had just come from.

"Xavier," He said simply. "I need to take care of him. Get Kori away from him."

Wally nodded solemnly and the two entered the den, just in time to see Kori kick Xavier in the shin.

"Ooh," Wally breathed. "That's bad-ass."

"She'll never admit it," Richard said.

The two boys watched Kori maneuver through the rails on the carpeted stairs and drop to the ground. She stood up to see that she was staring into the cold eyes of Xavier. He looked like he wanted to kill someone. Xavier began dragging Kori up the stairs, and Richard felt his fists tighten.

"I thought I told that prick to stay away from her," he muttered, more to himself than Wally, darting to the foot of the stairs. Wally followed quickly, less than a foot away. Richard looked at Wally and Wally peeled Kori out of Xavier's violent grasp. Richard watched out of the corner of his eye as Wally gently dragged (as gentle as dragging could be) Kori out of the room.

Richard turned his attention toward Xavier.

* * *

...

OOH!  
A CLIFFHANGER!

Lol, I'm sorry.  
It's time for me to go to sleep, but I just felt like writing.  
I needed to!  
Badly.

I'll write chp. 10 on Sunday.  
Maybe.  
I've got a party to go to tomorrow at my school, a Choir concert on Saturday, and a birthday on Saturday night.  
I'll try not to make you all wait too long, though.  
That is, if you care...

P.S. I bet you thought it was Richard. HAHA nope, It was Wally

Review?  
PLEASE?


	11. Chapter 10: Stupid Xylophone

It starts with Richard's POV. Then Kori's.  
Please note that that switch is only for this chapter.

I DO NOT OWN TT

* * *

_"I thought I told that prick to stay away from her," he muttered, more to himself than Wally, darting to the foot of the stairs. Wally followed quickly, less than a foot away. _

_Richard looked at Wally and Wally peeled Kori out of Xavier's violent grasp. Richard watched out of the corner of his eye as Wally gently dragged (as gentle as dragging could be) Kori out of the room._

_Richard turned his attention toward Xavier._

"We meet again," Xavier slurred.

"Shut up, Xylophone. I told you not to touch her" **(A/N: there's someone who should find that funny. she knows who she is D)**

"Oh contraire, my friend." Xavier replied with a malicious grin. "You told me to 'tell her the truth'"

"And you didn't, so therefore..."

Richard jammed his fist into Xavier's mouth, and Xavier curled backwards. Richard smirked and kicked Xavier hard in the shin. As Xavier was leaning down to hold his hurt leg, Richard kicked his feet out from under him, and he fell smack the ground. Richard kicked Xavier in the face, causing him to land on his back. His eyes shut and he moaned in pain.

"I warned you, didn't I?" Richard barked. "This has been going on for two years, and you still haven't been smart enough to quit messing with me. Dumbass," Richard stepped on Xavier's stomach before turning around to walk away.

"Hold it right there," A booming voice said.

Richard slowly tilted his head up to look at the 6 foot tall police officer towering above him

"Is there a problem?" The police officer asked.

"No" Richard lied.

"Well then why is that man over there writhing and crying out in pain?"

"Kicked in the balls?" tried Richard.

The cop raised an eyebrow.

"No?" Richard said. "Didn't think so"

"Right..." The cop said. "So what really happened?"

"Well," Richard began. He searched his brain for something to say, when a woman's hand wrapped itself around his bicep.

"He's with me," the voice said.

* * *

Wally spun Kori away from Xavier and into the next room. He placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Did he hurt you?"

Kori bit her lip and blinked back tears. "A little"

"Where?" Wally said.

Kori pointed to her arm, which was now turning purple with a fresh bruise. "And..." She trailed off and let her head drop. Wally lifted her face up to meet his.

"_And_ what? Where else did he hurt you, Kori?"

A tear slid down Kori's cheek as she pulled out of Wally's arms and looked away.

She pointed to her heart.

"Oh, Kori," Wally said, enveloping her in a bear hug.

"You are such a nice guy, Wally," Kori said, squeezing her eyes shut and hugging him back.

"I take care of my friends, that's all," Wally said. He pushed Kori away a little and looked into her eyes. Kori's lip quivered. Wally kissed her forehead and brought her back into the hug.

"It'll be okay," He said reassuringly.

"Mphphmph" Kori said into Wally's shoulder. She began to cry, not wanting to fight it any longer, and she couldn't control the tears. They just kept coming.

Kori heard a sickening crunch and flung her head off Wally's shoulder to see Richard standing over Xavier, who was lying on his back. Blood was pouring from his nose.

Richard stepped on Xavier. Everyone was in too much shock because of Richard to notice that there was a cop in the middle of a party that had underage drinking as the minimum illegality. Richard turned to walk away, giving the officer no notice.

"Hold it right there," the cop said. Richard slowly looked up at the towering cop.

"Oh shit," Wally said under his breath. "That's a cop,"

Kori felt the urge to laugh, even under the circumstances. She watched as the cop talked to Richard, and she felt herself get nervous.

_Is he going to get arrested? Are they going to call his parents? What is that cop going to do? Please, PLEASE don't hurt him. He's the only one standing up to Xavier._

Kori found herself biting her nails as she continued watching the cop and Richard, and another tear slid down her cheek. She couldn't take it anymore. She took a deep breath and took a step towards Richard.

* * *

It's short. So what?  
I won't keep you guys waiting too long, I'm starting on chapter 11 now.

REVIEW?!  
pleeeaaasse? )


	12. Chapter 11: Meow

Eh, I know I said the Kori/Richard POV switch was only for the last chapter, but I'm gonna do it in this one, too.

Just to remind you, that means Richard' POV is first.

AND WE'RE READY IN 5, 4, 3, 2, 1!!

(p.s. I don't own Teen Titans)

* * *

_"Kicked in the balls?" tried Richard. _

_The cop raised an eyebrow._

_"No?" Richard said. "Didn't think so"_

_"Right..." The cop said. "So what really happened?"_

_"Well," Richard began. He searched his brain for something to say, when a woman's hand wrapped itself around his bicep._

_"He's with me," the voice said._

Richard twisted his neck to see who was draped around his arm, and was greeted by a mass of blonde hair in his face. He cringed.

"Kitten, what are you doing?" He whispered.

"Don't worry, Richie-poo, I've got it covered" Kitten cooed.

Richard rolled his eyes.

"Oh, my Richard wasn't doing anything wrong, I promise," Kitten said to the cop, batting her long eyelashes. "He would never!"

The cop eyed Kitten suspiciously.

"Uh-huh..." The cop said. He turned to Richard. "That true?"

"Half is," Richard said, trying his best to mimic Rachel's monotone.

"Which half?"

Richard smirked. "The part about me not doing anything wrong." And this wasn't a lie, what he did to Xavier wasn't wrong, it was justice.

"Battling evil with the help of justice!" Richard mumbled under his breath. He laughed.

"Come again?" the cop said.

Richard regained his composure, adjusted his sunglasses, and switched into monotone mode again. "Nothing," he said.

The cop looked from Kitten to Richard, then back again.

"You two really together?" he questioned.

"No," Richard quickly replied, just as Kitten was saying 'yes'.

"So is that a yes or a no?" The cop said.

"It's a no," Richard said, earning a glare from Kitten.

"Oh, he's just shy. We just started dating," she said.

"I see..." The cop pulled something from his pocket.

"I'm not buying it, buddy." He said to Richard. "But I'm letting you go with a warning." He scribbled something on a pink slip of paper and handed it to Richard. "If I catch you doing anything even remotely against the law, you'll be regretting it."

"Is this some kind of special treatment?" Richard said, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't choose favorites, kid. Not even guys who wear sunglasses indoors at night."

Richard rolled his eyes again, as the cop turned towards everyone and said in a booming voice, "You guys really didn't notice I was a cop, did you?"

Everyone started talking and running around in different directions. Within 10 seconds, almost everybody was gone.

Except for Kori, Wally, and Terra, who stood staring at Richard and the cop.

* * *

_Kori felt the urge to laugh, even under the circumstances. She watched as the cop talked to Richard, and she felt herself get nervous._

_Is he going to get arrested? Are they going to call his parents? What is that cop going to do? Please, PLEASE don't hurt him. He's the only one standing up to Xavier._

_Kori found herself biting her nails as she continued watching the cop and Richard, and another tear slid down her cheek. She couldn't take it anymore. She took a deep breath and took a step towards Richard._

And froze.

Kitten had slung her bony hand around Richard's arm, and began talking to the cop as Richard turned around to see who was clinging to him.

Kori felt her eyes narrow.

Wally coughed nervously.

"Hey, you guys," A young female voice called to Wally and Kori. They turned around to see Terra walking towards them. "Have you seen Kitten? Fang's looking for-" Terra was cut off by Kori pointing back at the cop, Kitten, and Richard.

"Oh my god," Terra breathed.

"Yeah" Kori scoffed.

"Is she an idiot?" Terra whispered, stepping up to stand next to Kori as they watched the scene.

"Yes, but what else is new?" Kori said, eyes glued intently on Kitten's hand, that now clutched Richard's arm like her life depended on it.

"She only likes him because he's rich." Terra said, looking at Kori. "She told me she prefers Fang because Fang's hotter."

"Or because he's the only one who will kiss her, Kori countered. Terra snorted.

"You're probably right"

"Girls" Wally said, throwing his hands in the air. "I will never understand their level of intense drama"

Terra patted Wally's head. "You will someday," she said to him.

Kori turned her attention back to Richard and Kitten, and felt a pang of jealousy. And she didn't know why. She could feel Richard roll his eyes under his glasses at what ever the cop had said.

"You guys really didn't notice I was a cop, did you?" the police officer shouted to the room. People started scampering away, saying 'Oh shit,' and 'Why hasn't he busted us already?'

Terra, Wally, and Kori saw the policeman and Richard turn their heads towards them. Terra smiled and waved, Wally ran his hand through his hair, and Kori looked away shyly.

Xavier groaned and mumbled, 'I hate you,' before falling unconscious.

* * *

DANG!  
That was short too!!

Anyways, I don't really have much to say...  
Other than...  
Review?


	13. Chapter 12: Good morning, merry sunshine

BACK TO KORI'S POV first!!

I don't own TT, or anything I might have mentioned below.

* * *

_Kori and Xavier stood at the altar, listening to the priest. Xavier leaned in towards Kori._

_"You look absolutely amazing," he whispered, alcohol on his breath._

_Kori quietly gasped. "Have you been drinking? On our Wedding day?"_

_Xavier wiggled his eyebrows and looked back at the priest._

_"Do you, Xavier Redd, take Kori Anders to be your wife, through good times and bad, in sickness and in health?"_

_"Sure do,"_

_"And do you, Kori Anders, take Xavier Redd to be your husband, through good times and bad, in sickness and in health?"_

_"I do... not!"_

_"Foolish Child!" shouted Karmen, standing up. "He has money! We'll be rich!"_

_"But I do not love him,"_

_"Then I'll marry him!" Karmen shouted, launching herself towards Xavier. He caught her and began to kiss her passionately._

_Kori's expression turned to disgust. _

_"But sister, he is an alcoholic and likes other women!"_

_"He won't when I'm around! It's all your fault he's the way he is! You're just a horrible girlfriend!" Karmen shot to Kori, eyes still on Xavier._

_Kori's lip quivered and she dropped to the ground, her dress sprawled around her in a gorgeous heap. She began to bawl, and Rachel and Karmen came to comfort her._

_Karmen rolled her eyes. "Cry all you want, sister dear, but this is the way it's going to be!"_

_Kori opened her mouth to shout back at her once-beloved-but-now-hated sister. _

_"BEEMP BEEEMP BEEEMMMPPP" came out of Kori's mouth._

_Everyone looked at Kori like she was an alien, and then the scene blurred and twisted until it vanished altogether._

Kori snapped open her eyes and breathed heavily.

She rolled onto her stomach, tangling herself up in the purple sheets, and slapped her hand on the snooze button to her alarm clock. She glanced out the window. The sky was a dull gray, matching her mood for the morning.

She reluctantly peeled the blanket off her sweat-covered body, and ran her hands trough her hair.

Grabbing a hairbrush and some clothes, Kori traveled to her bathroom, trying hard not to cry out when she passed her sister's room. She opened the door and stepped onto the cold tile floor. Her feet welcomed the temperature. She brushed her hair and changed for school, and was about to open the door when she heard her sister's voice in the hallway.

"No, Xavier, she doesn't." Karmen said. There was a pause, and then, "Well, she was screaming this morning, but I think she was just dreaming. I'm not sure if she's still asleep. She'll see you at school. Bye." And then Kori heard a click. She emerged from the bathroom to find Karmen filing her nails at the kitchen counter.

"Morning, sister dear," Karmen drawled.

"Were you just on the phone?" Kori asked innocently.

"Yeah, Xavier called. I told him you were asleep and that he'd see you at school."

Kori didn't remember hearing the phone ring.

"Um... Alright, then," Kori stammered, grabbing her backpack and spare house key.

"See you after school, sister dear" Karmen said, winking mischievously and gliding to her bedroom door. Kori turned towards the front door and put her hand on the knob.

"Yes, I guess I will," She said, opening the door and stepping out into the humid air.

* * *

"Mr. Grayson, breakfast is ready," Alfred said, heavy British accent dripping from his words.

"Thanks, Al," Richard said, stretching out on his gray comforter and staring at his alarm clock.

Alfred nodded and quietly shut the door to Richard's room. Richard groaned and began to roll over onto his side, but before he could realize he wasn't rolling onto anything, it was too late.

"Ugh," He said, rubbing his back and standing up off the floor. "What a great way to wake yourself up." He threw on a pair of jeans and a red T-shirt before snatching his glasses and cell phone of his bedside table and heading downstairs.

When Richard entered the Parlor, Bruce was leaning up against the counter, sipping his morning coffee and reading the newspaper. Richard grunted in greeting and grabbed for the coffee pot.

"Nope," Bruce said, putting his hand in front of the coffee. "Coffee ruins your teeth"

"_What?" _Richard snapped.

Bruce nodded.

"But you're drinking it," Richard said, trying to calm himself.

"Well," Bruce said, eyeing Richard over his newspaper. "I'm not going to be in any commercials soon." He set the newspaper down. "My teeth don't have to look good." He patted Richard on the head.

Richard growled and stalked to the table, dropping in front of a plate of bacon and eggs. He reluctantly began to eat.

Bruce dumped the remains of the coffee pot in the sink and walked briskly out of the room, and after a few seconds, Richard heard a car start in the garage.

Alfred walked into the kitchen. "Do not worry, Mr. Grayson." He said, smiling slightly. "Master Wayne doesn't know we have another coffee pot in the adjoining kitchen." He set a steaming mug in front of Richard.

Richard smirked.

"Thanks, Al" He said, grabbing the cup and downing it in a matter of seconds.

Alfred didn't seem at all phased by the fact that the drink was at least 78 degrees, and that Richard had finished it in a few gulps.

"You're welcome," He said.

Richard shoved his glasses on his face and jammed his phone in his pocket. Traveling down the long hallway, he grabbed a key from the coffee table and sauntered to his motorcycle.

"Off to school," He said dully.

* * *

Not really much to say today.  
I know it was really short, but i have school tomorrow.

Review?


	14. Chapter 13: Grades for social life

Ugh, I needed inspiration for this. Had to wait a while for an idea, but here is it!

Took forever. Sorry.

OH, and to answer a question on one of the reviews, no, I do not write a bunch of chapters and then post them at once. I'll write one, post it, then decide to write and post another. You are not blind, lol :D

Don't own TT. Don't sue.

* * *

A few tendrils of Kori's hair stuck to her neck and the side of her face and she walked up the front steps to her school. There were students milling around all over the place, and no one paid much attention to the unbearably humid weather.

Kori smoothed out her purple tank top and calmly walked up the stairs to the main doors of the school. She let out a long sigh and pushed through one, happy to have decent AC.

Angelica and Jamie immediately rushed up to Kori and began talking at the same time. Kori glanced from one to the other as she tried to make out what they were saying.

"OHMYGODKORIAREYOUOKA-did he really- was there really a- what did the cop do?- does your sister know, better yet does your uncle know- Kori are you okay?-where is that prick?- I'm gonna kill someone- Kori are you okay?"

Kori shrugged and looked at the floor. Angelica and Jamie rushed at Kori and enveloped her in a huge bear hug.

"Aren't group hugs supposed to be for happy moments?" A male's voice scoffed. The three girls turned around and came face-to-face with Kitten, Terra, Fang, and Xavier.

"Ah, so there's that prick," Jamie mumbled. Angelica laughed once, menacingly.

"Kori, I think we need to talk," Xavier said icily.

"F-fine," Kori stammered. Xavier made her nervous.

Xavier smirked.

"Yeah, it's over," He said coolly.

"Thank X'hal," Kori muttered.

"What?" Xavier urged, waiting for Kori to burst into tears and fall to his knees. Just so he could walk away.

"I said, Okay, good. What do you expect me to do, crumble at your feet?"

Xavier's eyes widened in shock.

"Aww," Kori said, sounding more filled with hatred than she had ever sounded in her entire life. All nervousness vanished. "Are you upset because I did _not_ crumble, crying at your feet?"

Xavier was silent, just looking into Kori's eyes with a blank expression on his face, mouth agape.

"I can assure you, you will get no sympathy from me," Kori continued. "I am _not_ sad, but I am _so happy_ that we are over. I will not do what the others will do, it is _my choice_, and you are just _scum_ for thinking otherwise." She turned on her heel and walked away. Angelica and Jamie followed close behind; shooting death glares at Xavier, who was still standing in the same spot, his jaw dropped.

-o-o-o-

Kori turned the corner of the hallway, which was now filled with students rushing to get to class, and slid down to the ground behind a trash can. Jamie and Angelica kneeled down beside her and tried to comfort her.

"He's so worthless," Angelica said.

"Yeah," Jamie agreed. "I can't believe we were ever friends with him.

"You two will be late for class," Kori said in a monotone, staring off, straight ahead of her, into space.

Angelica moved in front of Kori and stared at her. Kori didn't move.

"God, Kori, stop that. It's creepy," she said.

"Go," Kori whispered, afraid if she spoke, her voice would crack and assert everyone to her wanting to cry.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Jamie said, concern dripping from her tone.

Kori nodded, and the two girls walked away reluctantly.

Kori leaned her head against the wall, and closed her eyes. She didn't know how long she stayed like that, only that when she opened her eyes and looked around the trash bin, she saw that the hallway was completely empty.

Kori sighed let her head drop. A tear slid down her cheek, despite her best efforts to not let it fall.

* * *

As Richard pulled into a side parking spot on his motorcycle, he heard the first bell ring. That meant everyone had 5 minutes before the tardy bell rang. He turned off the engine on the R-cycle and laid his helmet on the handlebars.

"Yo, dude!" Gar said, approaching with Wally at his side. "Heard about the scare on Friday night"

"Mhm," Richard mumbled, adjusting his sunglasses. They were sticking to his face because of the humidity. "It was... scary," he said sarcastically.

"Well, maybe not for you, tough guy," Wally said. "But you should have seen Kori. She was bawling"

"Kori was there?" Gar asked.

"Guess you didn't hear everything," Richard said. He turned towards the school building and stopped short.

Gar raised an eyebrow.

"What _did _you hear, Gar?" Richard said, facing away from the other two boys.

Gar gulped. "Umm..."

"Spit it out, Garfield." Richard said in a monotone.

"Well, I heard some people talking about how you beat up Xavier because he said something about your..." Gar gulped again. "Parents"

Luckily for Richard, he was wearing glasses, because he about started crying. Right then, right there. He took in a deep, shaky breath and wiped some water vapor off his forehead.

"Wrong," Richard said, controlling his urge to throw something at someone. "I beat him up because he was trying to rape Kori"

"Could'ya be any more blunt there, Dick?" Wally questioned.

Richard still had his back to his two friends, but he could imagine Wally's face as he said that. It made him want to flip Wally off, but he didn't.

_Rachel would be so proud._

"Anyone seen Vic?" Richard finally said, turning around and actually facing the two boys.

"Oh, we forgot to tell you," Gar said awkwardly.

At that moment, Karen walked up to the small group. She stopped next to Gar and placed a hand on her hip.

Gar glanced over and smirked. "Karen can tell you," he said as he walked away.

"Karen can tell him what?" Karen said after him. "YO! Come back here, you coward! I better not have to tell him what I _think_ I have to tell him!"

"Which _is?_" Richard said. Karen sighed.

"Vic was injured in a football game Saturday night," she said. "It was pretty bad. They're not sure if he can be put in a cast and heal. They don't think it will work. He's at the hospital right now"

"Damn," Richard said. He opened his mouth to continue, but he saw Karen's expression turn to panic and he felt a hand slink around his bicep.

_Not again._

"Richy-poo!" Kitten cooed in Richard ear. Richard winced.

"Help me!" Kitten continued. "Fang's making me go with him and Terra to watch Xavier break up with Kori! I don't want to go anywhere with Fang!" She whined. "Tell them you won't let me!"

"Sorry, Kitten," Richard said. "But I want you to go with Fang." He ripped his arm from her grasp and stalked away.

As he hid from Kitten (which he was sure was in class) by his locker, the tardy bell rang, and he noticed he was the only one in the hallway.

"Shit," he muttered, as she slammed his locker and fast-walked down the hallway, turning a corner, and then another one, only to slam into a sobbing trash can.

"Anyone there?" Richard said, peeking around the bin.

* * *

WHOO! Finally! I hope someone actually reads my story, and I hope that I didn't kill my few readers by making them wait too long.

Tell me what you think?

OH, and I got a Fictionpress account. YAY ME! :)


	15. Chapter 14: The sobbing trash can

Yeah, here is chapter 14!

Richard's POV is first, btw.

I don't own T.T.

* * *

_As Richard hid from Kitten (which he was sure was in class) by his locker, the tardy bell rang, and he noticed he was the only one in the hallway. _

_"Shit," he muttered, as he slammed his locker and fast-walked down the hallway, turning a corner, and then another one, only to slam into a sobbing trash can._

_"Anyone there?" Richard said, peeking around the bin._

"N-no," came a muffled voice.

Richard immediately knew who it was. "Well," he said softly. "Now I know someone's there, because trash cans don't talk." He crawled up against the wall and sat next to Kori, placing an arm around her slumped shoulders.

Kori hiccupped.

"What's wrong?" Richard said, even though he had a strong hunch as to what it was.

"Xav-Xier-XRedd-Xxa..."

"Red X?" Richard joked. "Well, I supposed that's a fitting name. Very stalker-like" He looked down at Kori to see her looking up at him with crying eyes, smiling slightly. It seemed like a long time as she stared blankly at Richard.

"Anyone in there?" Richard said, leaning towards Kori's head.

Kori blinked and swallowed. "That..." Kori began. She stared at Richard again.

"That...?" Richard repeated, waiting for Kori to continue

Kori shook her head and looked at Richard again. "That is very..." She stopped suddenly. Richard noticed how close their faces had become. "Clever," she finished, turning away.

"Make you feel any better?" Richard asked hopefully.

Kori bit her lip. A tear fell onto her skirt. "For a while," she finally muttered. "But I cannot erase this... feeling he left"

"Kori, I'm so sorry," Richard said, hugging her tightly. Unless Richard was imagining things, Kori leaned into his arms.

"I t-thought he l-loved me. He t-told me he did"

"You can't always believe what people say," Richard said softly, careful not to disturb the quiet that had surrounded the two.

Kori ignored this. "I-I still cannot b-believe what he did," she said. She hiccuped again.

"None of us can," Richard offered.

Kori ignored this as well. Probably not on purpose, but she still didn't respond.

"And I t-thought they were m-my friends"

"Well, can't you make new friends?" Richard said. He thought about saying 'like me', but decided against it.

Kori stared at Richard incredulously, as if she had just noticed he was sitting there. She blinked slowly and then collapsed into Richard's lap, sobbing once again.

-_-_-_-_-

After a few minutes of gently rocking back and forth and simultaneously rubbing Kori's back, Richard lifted up a tendril of her shimmering hair to look at her face. Her eyes were closed.

Richard could not stifle a smile as he looked at the sleeping Kori.

_She really is beautiful._

_Oh, Dick, how you've changed._

Richard slowly pushed Kori off his lap and stood up. He stretched out his legs and scooped the girl into his arms. She was surprisingly light.

As he carried Kori down the hall to the nurse's office, he peeked in the small windows on the doors of the classrooms. He saw Angelica and Jamie whispering in their U.S. history class, Vic and Gar talking in gym, Karen taking notes in her A.P. English class, Raven silently reading for her free period, Kitten and Terra passing a note in Science, and Xavier falling asleep in Math.

When he reached the door to the nurse's office, Richard hesitated. What if the nurse yelled at him for not being in class? No big deal, he would just say Kori fainted in gym class, and that Coach asked him to escort her here. There. That was good enough.

Richard pushed open the door, almost running into the nurse, who was on her way out.

"I'm so sorry!" she said, helping Richard maneuver Kori onto one of the blue, plastic covered beds that they have in nurses' offices.

Richard realized he wasn't wearing his gym clothes.

"Is she hurt?" the nurse asked, looking at Kori. She reminded Richard slightly of Karen.

"No, she just fell asleep," Richard said, glancing around the small room.

_I haven't been here since freshman year, when-_

"She looks like she's been crying," the nurse said, interrupting Richard's thoughts.

"She has," Richard replied. "It's just..."

"Xavier?" The nurse asked. Richard stared at the nurse.

"What?" She said. "Everyone's heard about it. Don't tell management I said this, but I think he's an ass. I feel so bad for her. High school's the hardest. It's a pity no one warned her about him"

Richard mentally hit himself in the head. _He _should have warned Kori about him.

"You go on to class," the nurse said to Richard. "I'll take care of her, I swear"

"Thanks," Richard said, stealing a quick glance at Kori before turning and walking out the door.

* * *

_Kori leaned her head against the wall, and closed her eyes. She didn't know how long she stayed like that, only that when she opened her eyes and looked around the trash bin, she saw that the hallway was completely empty._

_Kori sighed and let her head drop. A tear slid down her cheek, despite her best efforts to not let it fall._

Keeping the tears from slipping down her cheeks after that one dropped was an impossible task. Memories flooded her mind and her body shook with every sob. She prayed that she would soon run out of tears, which was likely, considering the immense amount she cried at that party on Friday night.

"Anyone there?" She heard a close male voice say. She immediately knew who it was.

Kori buried her head in her arm and wished she could fly, so she could get out of there.

"No," she mumbled, her mouth still covered by her arm.

"Well," Richard said. "Now I know someone's there, because trash cans don't talk."

Kori felt him slide across the tile, sit next to her, and drape his arm around her shoulders. She let her head hang stiff, her hair covering most of her torso and upper arms and hiding her eyes. She hiccupped, surprising herself.

"What's wrong?" Richard said gently.

Kori debated with herself whether to tell him or just pretend she didn't hear him. She couldn't ignore him, so she tried to speak.

" Xav-Xier-XRedd-Xxa..."

"Red X? Well, I supposed that's a fitting name. Very stalker-like," Richard said. Kori brushed the hair out of her face and felt herself glance up at Richard, even though she was still crying. She felt dazed by the small smile on his face. It was contagious, that smile. Kori felt like she could kiss Richard for being so kind. She let her mind wander.

"Anyone in there?" Richard said, leaning in towards Kori.

Kori stared up at Richard. "That..." She began, thinking of possible things to say.

_That was true? That was funny? That was irony in every sense of the word?_

"That...?" Richard repeated, interrupting Kori's thinking.

Kori reminded herself that he was still present, and she shook her head vigorously to get herself back in tune with the rest of the world. "That is very..." She leaned in towards Richard and stopped herself, realizing how close she had gotten to his face. "Clever," she finished, blushing and shying away.

"Make you feel any better?" Richard asked, a hint of hope in his tone.

Kori wanted to say yes, but it only made her feel stupid and vulnerable. "For a while," she muttered. "But I cannot erase this... feeling he left"

"Kori, I'm so sorry," Richard said, hugging her. Not wanting to move her arms, Kori collapsed gratefully into his warm and comforting embrace.

"I t-thought he l-loved me. He t-told me he did," Kori said, more to herself than to Richard. She thought of their first date, when He took her out to dinner and told her that he loved her smile and the way she laughed. She blinked back tears.

"I-I still cannot b-believe what he did," she continued, hiccuping again, and remembering the party that changed her outlook on Xavier altogether. _Xavier._ When did he break up with her, anyways? Oh yeah, this morning. With Terra and Kitten, and Fang. It seemed so long ago that she had felt this sudden betrayal. Kori wanted to scream out in frustration as images of that summer with her friends danced around her memory. "And I t-thought they were m-my friends"

"Well, can't you make new friends?" Richard said.

Kori snapped her head up to meet Richard's gaze, remembering that he was still there. She saw her reflection in his glasses and she blinked at it; it didn't look like her at all. It had tear tracks on its face and its hair was ruffled and messy. It was sad, not happy, and it looked weak. This was not what Kori was used to seeing in her reflection. She remembered that Xavier had caused it and a new wave of emotion filled her.

Kori surprised herself by beginning to sob again, despite her beliefs that she was fresh out of tears to spare on Xavier. She threw herself onto Richard's lap and cried and cried, all the while thinking about the pain Xavier had caused for her. She thought about how much weight would be lifted off her shoulders, now that he was out of her life, as Richard slowly rocked her to sleep.

* * *

WHOOOO!!!!  
You likey?

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	16. Chapter 15: A hiccup in reality

I hope you all don't hate me. I had major writer's block. Sorry :)

OH! POV update. For this chapter, it's going to go *KORI, *EVERYONE, then *RICHARD. Meaning Kori's POV is first, then to no one in particular, then Richard's.

The lines mark the POV switches.

DISCLAIMER:

If I owned Teen Titans, it would still be on the air.

* * *

Waking up in an unfamiliar place creeps people out. Imagine if you had never even heard of the place before.

"Oh, you're up!" said a slender, middle-aged, dark skinned woman as she entered through a blue door. "I was afraid you were going to miss lunch!"

"W-where am I?" stammered Kori, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"You really _were_ having a bad day, weren't you?"

It only took a few seconds of oblivion for Kori to figure out what the woman was talking about, and it made her want to cry all over again. She bit her lip.

"Yes," Kori replied.

"It's Kori, right?"

"Yes"

"Well, Kori, you're in the nurse's office. One of your friends brought you by today. Said you fell asleep. What a shame, I didn't get his name. He was wearing sunglasse-"

"Richard"

The nurse raised an eyebrow. "Well, Kori," she said. "You'd better hurry on to lunch, you must be starving"

Surprisingly enough, she was.

OoOoOoO

As Kori walked down the deserted hallway towards the lunch room/courtyard, she went to brush her bangs out of her face. When she touched the skin around her eyes, she pulled her hand back. It was raw.

She hurried into the nearest bathroom and stared at her puffy-eyed reflection in the mirror. It was then that she realized her face was numb and her face was slightly wet. She had been crying. She didn't even remember crying. All she could recall was being afraid to face Xavier, when- oh.

Kori rinsed her face off with warm water and patted it dry. She ran her fingers through her hair to smooth it out and shook all thoughts of Xavier out of her head. She turned and walked out of the bathroom.

Getting her lunch did not take up nearly as much time as Kori was hoping for. She clutched the red plate-like structure and put on a big, fake smile as she approached her friends.

* * *

Kori sat her lunch tray down across from Wally, sliding into the end seat next to Richard, who looked away.

"Hello everyone!" She said brightly.

Rachel raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "Hi..."

"How are you al-HICKAUF" Kori hiccupped loudly, earning stares of curiousness and concern from the rest at the lunch table.

"Thad fsounds painflul," Wally mumbled, his mouth full of food.

Richard stared at Kori with what she was sure was a bewildered look.

"HICKAUF," Kori hiccupped again.

"Does it hurt?" Gar questioned. Kristen elbowed him in the ribs.

"Not Rea-HICKAUF"

Rachel stuck her index fingers in her ears. "God, Kori," She said. "That hurts _me_"

"I apologi-HICKAUF"

The table groaned.

"Seriously, Kori," Alex said. "You sound like you're in pain"

"Only mild-HICKAUF-ly."

Kori sensed Richard's expression switch to anguish. It was hurting _him_, too.

"Wally, do something," Kristen said across the table. "You're the scariest"

"No I'm not," Wally countered.

"HICKAUF"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Gar said. "I think it's obvious that _I'm_ the scariest." he flashed his teeth as if he had fangs.

"HA!" Alex shouted. "You wouldn't even be able to scare hiccups out of a nervous rabbit!"

"I AM a nervous rabbit! Wait... what?"

"You guys! She still has the hiccups!" Kristen shouted, more concerned. **(A/N I just got hiccups. I'm NOT EVEN JOKING)**

"He called me a rabbit!" Gar shouted. "I'm WAY too scary to be a rabbit!"

"YOU called YOURSELF a rabbit, Garfield" Alex said, smirking.

"Isn't Garfield a cat?" Roy said.

"HICKAUF"

"So is he a nervous cat now?" Alex said jokingly.

"He was always a nervous cat," Rachel said.

"A nervous pussy cat," Roy said.

"You know, guys," Wally said. "Kori still has the hiccups"

"Oh, someone could have scared her already," Roy said. "But we were all staring at her like she was an alien."

"_I _wasn't!" Kristen cried.

"Okay, everyone but Kristen could have scared her," Roy said, shrugging his shoulders.

"HICKAUF!"

"You guys, I'm pregnant."

Everyone stopped whatever argument they were engaged in and stared blankly at Karen.

"W-what?" Wally squeaked.

Karen rolled her eyes.

"_Shit,_" Gar breathed. Rachel and Kristen stared at their food, while Wally, Roy, and Alex all glanced at each other. Richard's eyebrows rose above his glasses, and Kori blinked slowly at Karen.

The table was silent for who-knows-how-long, the noises of people passing by and talking blurred background music.

"Ha! It WORKED!" Karen said, smiling and happily stabbing her food with her fork.

No one really understood what Karen was talking about until Kori spoke.

"So, you are _not _going to have a baby?" She asked.

Wally smacked his forehead. Gar's mouth formed a silent 'o'.

"You just formed a full sentence without hiccupping, Kori," Richard said calmly.

Kori gasped. "I _did!_" She said, getting up to travel around the table and pull Karen into a bear hug. "Thank you!"

"Believe me, I'm happier than you are. Your hiccups are insanely loud!"

"And painful!" Wally said, stuffing another huge bite of his hamburger into his mouth.

Kori smiled.

* * *

_Disaster adverted, _thought Richard, as he watched Kori grin out of the corner of his eye. Her eyes were red and her smile was forced, but no one else seemed to notice.

OoOoOoO

Richard and Kori walked silently next to each other as they went to throw their trash away. Richard waited for his friend to say something, but she didn't utter a word. He glanced over to see she was staring straight ahead, her face expressionless.

"Kori..." Richard began. Kori looked at him with out moving her head. Only her eyes flickered to the side to glance at the teenage boy. Richard swallowed.

"Kori," he began again. "Why aren't you talking? You're normally so... talkative"

She shrugged.

"Do you..." Richard took a deep breath. "Do you even remember what happened this morning?"

"The nurse told me that you carried me to her office, but no, I do not remember the details"

"Do you even remember crying?" Richard whispered as he dumped his tray into the trash can.

"Please, Richard. There is no need to whisper. Everyone knows about what happened. It is not surprising that I would have cried"

"Oh, Kori. I'm so sorry, I never should have-"

"No, everything is fine. You do not need to feel sorry. What happened was not your fault"

"But I feel like it is. He's a horrible person, Kori. I want to make it up to you"

"Make up for what?" Kori questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Not telling you that he's scum"

Surprisingly, Kori smiled. "I met him during the summer, Richard. I would not have listened to you anyway," she said as she walked away, leaving Richard standing by a tree, feeling very confused.

_They met this summer. _

_What she part of it?_

_That ruined me almost as much as..._

_I wonder if anyone even suspects it._

_I mean, just because she hung out with them...._

_This can't end well for me._

* * *

TA-DA!

Confused?

You won't be for long, the next chapter is a flashback chapter (yes, it's that time again)!

Review?

Come on, the button's right there!


	17. Chapter 16: Stress Causes Flashbacks

Falshie-backs!  
I don't own TT, for the gazillionth time!

P.S. I rewrote chapter one. It's much better this time.

* * *

**Flashback.**

_Kori stepped down the concrete stairs leading from her family's apartment to the sidewalk outside the building. A familiar face was waiting for her._

_Xavier was leaning against a lamp post, sunglasses on, cell phone out. Kori walked up to him and greeted him._

_"Xavier! What on Earth are you doing here?" She said enthusiastically._

_"Well, to see you of course," he said in a monotone. Kori raised a brow._

_"Is something bothering you?" she asked._

_Xavier glanced up. He sighed, sliding his phone shut and jamming it in his pocket._

_"Actually, yeah," he said._

_"What is it?"_

_"My family... we're leaving"_

_"WHAT?!?"_

_"Relax, Kori. Not for long, just a few months. Until school starts"_

_"But..." Kori began._

_"I know," Xavier said, cutting her off. "That we haven't gotten to take our relationship very far, but I promise that when I get back, we'll pick up right where we left off"_

_"Promise?" Kori asked hopefully._

_"Promise"_

**End Flashback.**

**-**

**Flashback.**

_Kori walked silently down the street as she glanced around, looking for any signs of citizens. The road and stores surrounding it was deserted. Kori didn't know how late it was, but it was obviously past closing time. _

_Kori quickened her pace as her instinct told her she was growing nearer to the spot. Turning a sharp corner, she came face-to-face with a cold, brick wall._

_And there it was._

_The glorious masterpiece that Kori was so ashamed of, stuck like glue on the red stones of the building, seemed to sparkle in the streetlight. She was disappointed in herself for creating such vandalism on private property, but she had to admit that it was spectacular. Every line had such precision. Every intricate design had great detail. She would have guessed that her friends had done this before._

_Little did she know, she would have guessed right._

_Kori eyed the multiple drawings painted on in blue, red, and yellow spray paint. There were symbols, like the Starbucks logo, and one for a local skateboard shop. There were words, like "increase the peace" and "make love, not war", written in fancy and block lettering, with twists and turns and swirls and designs on every letter. _

_Then, in a far corner, sat the simplest art on the wall. If you were just passing by you wouldn't notice it. Kori peered at the letters, trying to make out what it said from a distance. She inched closer, although she didn't need to. She had had the small drawing memorized perfectly. _

_"XR. KA. 4EVER," Kori read quietly, tracing the words on the cold brick. The words that basically began her summer. The words that gave her such high spirits. The words that her sister was jealous of. The words that Terra and Kitten talked about extensively. The words that were outlined by a thin, red heart. _

_The words that Xavier had written._

**End Flashback.**

**-**

**Flashback.**

_An old, beat up Ford F150 sat in the parking lot of the small apartment complex. Kori would recognize the vehicle anywhere. It was her uncle's._

_Kori became suspicious. Back in Cozumel, Uncle Galfore had said that he would only visit when necessary. Although he loved Kori and Karen greatly, he decided to remain for the sake of his students (as a teacher at the only university that actually taught something, he felt required to stay)._

_This meant it was something important._

_Kori jogged up the stairs to the apartment her family shared. She jammed her key in the lock only to have it opened by an inside force. Giant Galfore stood there on the other side of the doorway, the scar above his right eye frowning with the rest of his features. Kori gave her uncle a hug bear hug. _

_"Galfore. What is wrong?"_

_"We can't find them, Kori," Galfore said quietly, averting his eyes. _

_Kori looked at her uncle skeptically. "Find who?" she asked._

_"They left money, and keys, and insurance," he said._

_"Who? What has happened? Why are you so quiet?"_

_"Your parents, Kori. They left. Er- we don't know if they left or if they were kidnapped, but they're still gone. I'm so, so sorry"_

_Kori froze. Her parents, gone? Just like that? Kori slid down the wall outside the apartment and pressed her face to the wood in shock. Galfore kneeled and slowly patted Kori on the back, as she cried and cried. _

_And cried. _

**End Flashback.**

**Flashback.**

_"I JUST CAN'T GODDAMN BELIEVE THIS!" Bruce bellowed, slamming his palm pilot on the desk he was sitting behind. Richard sat on the opposite side, facing Bruce in all his anger. _

_"Relax, Bruce," Richard said reassuringly. "This stuff happens all the time"_

_"DON'T CARE, DON'T CARE, DON'T CARE!" Bruce shouted. "THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. WE JUST BOUGHT THIS BUILDING, AND ALREADY, SOMEONE'S VANDALIZED IT?" _

_"Well, what did it say?"_

_"Oh, some anti-war shit. Some rebel shit, too. Like skateboarding and fire and stuff," Bruce said, calming a bit, but still keeping his voice raised. "Why the hell would someone do this?"_

_"Bruce-"_

_"The cops almost had them! Almost! They said it was two guys and a bunch of chicks. Probably juvenile delinquents-"_

_"Bruce!"_

_"-who probably go to your school. If only there were a way to figure out who-"_

_"BRUCE!"_

_"What the HELL do you want, Dick?"_

_"I want you to seriously calm down"_

_"No way, kid. Your life is going to be living Hell if all this isn't sorted out"_

_"Joy," Richard replied sarcastically._

**End Flashback. **

**-**

**Flashback.**

_After a week on scrubbing some stupid wall (to no avail) and conferring with all the police stations within a 2 mile radius, Richard was surprised to find himself wishing that summer was over._

_Bruce had, to his word, made Richard's life a living Hell. He had Richard constantly washing the brick wall on one of his many office buildings, trying to get rid of some stupid paint that was obviously never coming off. He had Richard talking to every policeman in Jump City to see if they had found anything on the 'culprits'. And Bruce wasn't done yet. Richard still had public service announcements to organize and speeches to write. _

_His brain was starting to massively hurt. _

_Maybe wearing sunglasses all the time would help Richard keep glare away? Maybe it could help reduce his stress?_

**End Flashback.**

**-**

**Flashback.**

_Richard woke up from a really uncomfortable sleep to find that he was in a white room, with bright lights. _

_"Where the hell are my sunglasses?" he said, shielding his eyes from the shining overhead lights and clutching his forehead from the massive pain._

_"Please keep the language at a PG rating, Mr. Grayson. Thank you," someone said. Richard snapped his head around to see a group of men in white coats._

_"Am I in an insane asylum?" he asked. "That would teach Bruce a lesson"_

_"No, you're in a hospital, Mr. Grayson. You passed out," a man (the main doctor?) said._

_"PASSED OUT?" Richard shouted. "How girly is that!?" _

_"Please try to calm yourself down, Mr. Grayson. The extra stress is making you weak"_

_"Making me weak?" Richard replied, stunned. "How?"_

_"Your immune system is failing, and you've shown signs of malnutrition. You're going to have to stay here for a few weeks"_

_"Specifically?"_

_"No"_

_"Great," Richard said. He hated hospitals._

**End Flashback.**

Yeah, it was short, I know.

Yeah, I'm a freak, I know.

Yeah you should review, I know.  
But the question is: Will you?

IT'S RIGHT THERE! JUST DO IT!!!

p.s.  
I rewrote chapter one.  
In case you forgot to read my opening Author's Note.

* * *

* * *


	18. Chapter 17: Walk like a Cyborg

Ugh, writers' block sucks.

I don't own TT.

* * *

"Rise and shine, _sister dear_!" Karmen spat, opening then slamming the door into Kori's room.

"W-what?" Kori replied as she sat up and rubbed her eyes. The techniques Karmen used to wake her sister up weren't very tactful.

Karmen walked over to Kori's vanity and began brushing her hair with Kori's hairbrush. "I said, get up. We have a long day today"

"Is it not Sunday? That is a day of relaxation here, sist-"

"Why do you still talk like that?"

Kori blinked at her sister.

"Let's go," Karmen snapped, slamming down the hairbrush. "We don't have much time"

Kori rolled out of bed and into the adjoining bathroom, as her sister began to stomp around her room, picking things up and straightening piles.

"Sister, why are you in such a mood? You seem... angry"

Karmen ignored her. "How dare he say those things about me, that little bastard," she mumbled. "I'd better not hear of him talking to that slut again, or he'll pay. Who does he think he is, treating me like that? I'll show him who he's messing with, and he'll regret that he was ever-"

"Sister?" Kori asked curiously, poking her head through the bathroom doorway.

Karmen looked up like a deer caught in the headlights and nervously coughed. "Sorry. I shouldn't be saying those things with you in earshot"

"Please, it is fine. But who were you talking about?"

"This stupid little boy who thinks he can mess with me"

"Named?"

"Josh. Josh Hendricks," Karmen said quietly, looking away.

"Is that who we are going to visit today?" Kori asked, tilting her head to the side in inquiry.

A tear slid down Karmen's cheek. "Yepp," she said.

Kori felt like she was stabbed in the heart. Anyone who could make her sister cry had to be pretty tough and heartless, because Karmen was the best at both behaviors. Whoever this Josh person was, he was not a friend. Kori walked over to Karmen and placed her arms around her sister's shoulders, pulling her closer to hug her side. Karmen lifted her left arm and placed it around Kori, hugging back.

"And we are going to show this boy how the Anders sisters operate?"

"Yepp," Karmen said, pulling away, smiling, and wiping the tear tracks off her face. "Now hurry up and get dressed. He's leaving for work in about an hour, and I want to catch him at his house. Oh, and can you fake hate him? I know you're not very good with the mean faces"

"I do not think this one will be hard to manage," Kori scoffed.

Karmen smirked. "That's my girl," she said, opening the door to the hallway and slipping through.

Kori turned around and looked in her mirror. Her hair was in ratty waves and her toothbrush was still hanging out of her mouth. She remembered the look on her sister's face when she had said Josh's name.

"We will just have to make him suffer," Kori muttered to herself as she pushed open the door to the hallway, breezing by Karmen and into the older sibling's room. She quickly grabbed a flat iron and some makeup before heading back to her own room.

"Sister dear, are you ready yet?"

"Can I have 15 minutes?"

"Sure, but be snappy"

* * *

After exclaiming that Kori looked "kick ass," Karmen just had to make herself look better, just to throw Josh off track. The girls spent another 15 minutes on Karmen's hair and makeup.

And they looked hot.

"There," Kori said, slowly bringing the eyeshadow brush away from her sister's face. "Finished."

Karmen smirked. "Let's go," she said.

Kori nodded and snatched her sister's purse off the side table as she pushed on the door leading out of the apartment. Karmen followed close behind as she pulled a set of keys out of her jeans' pocket.

* * *

Kori and Karmen stumbled through the front door of their home, laughing and tripping over everything.

"Did you see the look on his face?" Karmen shouted through her giggles.

"He was very jealous!" Kori replied, pressing her hand on the wall to steady herself.

"Oh, and when he saw us walking and almost got hit by that car!" Karmen screeched, flopping on the couch as she laughed and laughed.

Kori doubled over in laughter. "It was exhilarating, sister! Just like you said it would be!"

"Oh, man!" Karmen said, sitting up and wiping a tear from her eye. "We'll have to do that again"

"The next boy who hurts you had better be prepared," Kori said with narrowed eyes.

Karmen stopped giggling and looked questionably at her sister.

"What is it?" Kori asked, getting uncomfortable under her sister's gaze.

Karmen got up abruptly and rushed over to hug her sister. Kori patted her sister's back and pulled away.

"What did I say?" she asked.

Karmen smiled and brushed some hair behind her ear. "It's just nice to see that you still care for me even in my old age," she said.

Kori smiled and playfully nudged her sister. "You are not old," she said.

Karmen shrugged. "I guess," she said slowly. "That I'm just glad that I'll always have someone that's there when I need them"

"Of course," Kori said. "You are my sister"

"I know I can be pretty evil sometimes-"

"I would not call you 'evil,' per-say..."

"You would too," Karmen replied with a smile. "And I'm sorry. But you know that I have some slight anger management issues"

"Slight. Yes, that is the word"

Karmen playfully rolled her eyes and tousled Kori's hair as she walked by, heading for her bedroom.

"Thanks for earlier. It was so much fun," she said.

Kori smiled. "It was for both of us, then"

* * *

Richard's ears went numb as a loud screeching noise woke him up. He leaned over and pressed the 'snooze' button on his alarm clock as his eyes adjusted to the light.

Alfred stood towering above Richard's bed, holding a silver tray with a pasty white envelope on it.

"Good morning, Mr. Grayson"

Richard groaned and rolled onto his stomach, stuffing his face into his pillow "Hi, Al," he said into the stuffed fabric. "What's with the tray? Don't tell me you're making me eat paper for breakfast."

Alfred rolled his eyes and a smile formed at the corners of his mouth. "This is a letter from your friend Garfield, Mr. Grayson," he said.

Richard sighed and threw his legs around, his feet crashing to the floor. He stood up and snatched the letter from the tray.

Alfred headed for the door. "Oh, and by the way," he said, turning back to look at Richard. "You have been instructed to make your own breakfast. It's my day off." Alfred smiled and casually exited Richard's room.

"You're joking," Richard said to himself. He ripped open the envelope and slid the paper out from inside it.

"Gar never writes letters," he said.

_Hello Dick. _

_Gar called earlier today and told me to tell you that the eagle was in motion. _

_Whatever the hell that means._

_Stay in school, don't do drugs._

_-Bruce_

Richard smiled. "Go Gar," he said. He snatched his cell phone off his bedside table and dial Gar's number.

* * *

"Hey Gar," Richard said, snapping his cell phone shut and approaching the park where Gar was waiting on a swing. He stood up and motioned for Richard to follow him to his car. They got in and started to drive in silence.

After a few minutes Richard noticed two girls walking down the sidewalk towards a neighborhood of condos. One had long black hair, eyes that looked purple, and was wearing a light pink sweater and pale blue jeans. The other had long shimmering red hair, green eyes, and was wearing a purple tank top, a green jacket and a jean miniskirt. Wait, was that...

"Kori?" Richard whispered. She looked breathtaking. Whoever they were going to see would be one lucky person, or... unlucky. The girls looked mad. No, scratch that. Kori looked mad. The other girl just looked sad.

They passed Kori and her friend and Richard glanced back at the road. The car was still eerily silent, and he looked over at Gar to see a worried look on his friend's face.

"What's wrong, Gar?"

"They don't know if it's going to work," Gar said quietly.

"It has to work. He's our best friend"

"I know," Gar said before punching the dashboard. "This is so unfair. He had so much going for him, dude! He was going to get a full college scholarship on football. He was going to be in the NFL. He could have made it."

"Hey, don't talk about it like that, Gar. He's still here."

"But he's not going to be able to play. Ever. He's gonna be so devastated."

"We don't know that"

"Yes we do," Gar said in a tone that signaled the end of the conversation.

Richard shook his head and looked out the window. It was then that he noticed where they were.

"Garfield Logan," he said solemnly. "You know I hate hospitals."

"You don't have to go in, you know." Gar said, pulling the keys out of the ignition and staring out the windshield.

"You know I do"

"If you'd rather not see Vic weak, then stay. But I'm gonna be strong and go to make sure our best friend isn't dying." Gar said, pushing open his door and walking with his head held high through the hospital doors.

Richard glared at the hospital building.

"I swear that I will never step foot inside one of these ever again," Richard said as he reluctantly opened his door and marched through the doors after Gar.

* * *

"He's right this way" The assistant said as she led Gar and Richard down a long white hallway to a door at the end.

Gar leaned over to Richard.

"See, this isn't so bad," he said as Richard flinched at every light and tile on the floor.

"Uh-huh," Richard replied, squinting.

They entered the patient room and noticed Karen sitting in an uncomfortable looking chair, holding Vic's hand to her lips and crying. Vic was hooked up to about a thousand machines and his chest rose and fell with every slow breath he took.

Gar walked over to Karen and hugged her shoulders as she shook with sobs. Richard stuffed his hand in his pockets and rocked back and forth awkwardly. He wanted to comfort Karen, but Gar was doing a pretty good job with it, and just standing there watching Vic was mesmerizing... Richard hoped he would be okay. He had to be. He had friends. He had a life here in Jump City.

The nurse entered Vic's room.

"Is he doing alright?" Gar asked, looking up from Vic, his arms still around Karen.

The nurse nodded. "Better than the other patients. The operation was successful." The nurse looked down at Karen with a smile on her face. "He's going to live"

Karen stopped crying and looked up at the nurse with wide eyes. She sniffed and gave a condescending look, as if she didn't believe the nurse.

"Are 'ya sure?" She asked with a shaky voice. Richard did a double take.

_Whoa, was that really Karen? She sounds weak. That's not like Karen._

"Yes," the nurse said, nodding seriously. "He's doing great. Would you like to see?"

Gar and Richard raised their eyebrows inquiringly and Karen cocked her head to one side. They all nodded hesitantly.

"I'm going to warn you, he's going to freak you out. I guarantee it. He looks different. Don't be scared, okay? He's still Victor Stone. He always will be," The nurse said before slowly walking over to the hospital bed and peeling off the white blanket to reveal Vic's body from the neck down.

"Oh my god," Karen said, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Holy cow!" Gar said, rushing to the end of the bed and leaning over it to get a good look. "He looks like a video game character!"

"That was so uncalled for," Rachel drawled from next to Richard, causing him to jump 3 feet in the air.

"When did you get here?" he asked.

"About 20 seconds ago. So, our Vic's a cyborg, huh?"

The four teens looked over at Vic. The right half of his torso down to his waist was made completely of metal and blue electrobits and wires. His left calf was the same. He was wearing light blue hospital shorts and a bandage over his left eye.

"So that's what the machines are for?" Karen asked.

"Yes," the nurse replied. "Most of them are charging his batteries. Some of them are regulating the artificial blood flow."

Karen gulped. "My boy... has batteries?"

The nurse nodded. "But only to power the muscles and tissues he lost. Luckily, his heart and lungs are still very much his natural organs. He only has an artificial stomach, kidney, and appendix. His arteries and veins hook up perfectly to the fake ones. He had some brain damage. There's a computer chip in there."

"So, is he waterproof?" Gar asked. Rachel smacked the back of his head and reached over to hug Karen.

"He's okay," she said into Karen's ear. "Be grateful"

Karen started to cry again. "I am," she said. "My Sparky's alive."

"Even if he's not waterproof," Gar said softly, jokingly.

One of the machines beeped and Vic's breathing quickened. The nurse glanced over at him.

"He's waking up," she said.

Karen rushed over to him and snatched his hand as his uncovered eye slowly opened.

"Hey little lady," he said in the familiar southern-like accent that they'd all come to know as Vic's Voice. "Miss me?"

* * *

Oh my cheezits, that took 70 THOUSAND years to finish. I am SO SO sorry for those of you who thought I wasn't continuing this story. I've been so busy, and every time I would start writing I would only write a little bit.

But NOW you can review! Yay!


	19. Chapter 18: And things get serious

GUESS WHAT I DID!!!  
Bam! Chapter 18!

Real quick, before you start reading, i'd like to make a public service announcement.  
Okay, not really. But hear me out.  
I hate this chapter and it hates me. I think it's really stupid and cheesy and totally random. I might rewrite it but i highly doubt it, considering I suck at TT fiction now. If you hate it, i'm sorry, but please don't flame it, okay?

Anyways, don't own TT.  
=p

* * *

"You sure you don't need anything else?" Richard asked as he rushed to help Vic out of the car.

"I'm fine, man." Vic said. "I can _walk_, y'know."

"We just wanna make sure everything's okay," Gar said.

"It _is._ Now go home and get some rest. You owe it to yourselves for being with me at the hospital all day."

Richard shuddered. "I hate that place," he said.

"Don't we know it," Gar said, rolling his eyes and smiling. He turned to Vic. "You can still play video games, right?" he asked.

"Absolutely, little man."

"Hey!" Gar said, offended. "I'm not little!"

Richard and Vic chuckled.

"Sure, man, sure."

Richard smiled. Everything was starting to fall into place. Kori was feeling better about Xavier, Vic was recovering amazingly, it seemed like Richard's life was going well for once.

Knock on wood.

"I'm gonna head home, guys," Richard said contently. See you tomorrow.

"Later, dude," Gar replied.

"G'night, Dick," Vic said.

---------

Richard spun his car keys around his finger as he walked up the steps to his front door. He turned the handle and walked into the entrance hall. The place was quiet except for the faint noises of someone yelling. Richard rolled his eyes.

"What a way to ruin a decent day, Bruce," he muttered to himself.

Walking down the hallway to Bruce's office, the yelling got louder and louder. Richard pushed open the door and stepped inside.

"Fix it?" Bruce was saying into a cell phone. "_You fix it._ How in GOD'S name am _I _going to fix it? Grow a pair and fix it yourself, princess." He snapped his phone shut and absentmindedly threw it across the room. It cracked in half, but neither Richard nor Bruce cared. They had enough money that they could just buy another one.

"What was _that _about?" Richard asked impatiently, sitting in a chair in front of Bruce's desk.

"Harvey Buckland wants to sue some kids at your school for vandalizing his office building a year ago. He wants to arrest 'em, too. I told him I'd help him, but the man simply won't listen to logic. He claims he's found the kids who did it."

"And?" Richard asked.

"Someone named Xylophone, a kid called Fame, something like that. Weird names. Then the girls, Terra something-or-other, some Angel, a Jamie, and a Cat."

"Kitten?"

"Yeah. Yeah, that was it."

Richard rolled his eyes. He started to say, 'Figures,' but he remembered that Kori was hanging out with that group this summer.

"Anyone else?" Richard asked, sitting forward in his chair. If he was right...

"Some schoolgirl... Corey?"

_Oh shit._

* * *

Kori, Karen, Kristen, Rachel, Angelica, and Jamie sat in a circle on Angelica's bedroom floor, passing around a huge carton of Ben & Jerry's vanilla caramel swirl ice cream and playing MASH. **(A/N: No, not that war movie. You girls know MASH, right? Where you write down possible husbands and kids' names and wedding dress colors and stuff like that, then cross them off until you've got one in each category? Yeah, you know what I'm talking about ^^)**

"Hey you guys," Kristen said, slipping the ice cream out of Kori's hands and into her own. "Anyone know what happened to Kitten? Think she got ran over by a bus?"

"Ugh, I wish!" Angelica said.

"She probably stole her daddy's wallet and ran off with Fang to North Carolina" Karen contributed, grabbing the notebook the girls were writing in and beginning to doodle.

"No, Kansas!" Angelica exclaimed. "It's more boring. She'd die there!"

"And the cell service sucks," Jamie said. "My family went there once for my dad's business trip, and my mom couldn't get a signal anywhere"

Rachel smiled, Kristen laughed and Kori cleared her throat.

"OMG!" She shrieked, imitating Kitten. "I CAN'T GET SERVICE! HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO ORDER MY PRADA BAG ONLINE WHEN MY CELL WONT LET ME GET ON THE INTERNET?!" Kori let out fake, loud sobs, and the girls erupted in laughter.

"Wow, Kori, I've never heard you use abbreviations before," Kristen said in between giggles.

"What do you mean?"

"Like, I've never heard you say _can't _or _I've. _You always say _cannot _and _I have. _Is that weird?"

"Not really," Kori replied. "My English is more proper than yours. What I say would sound normal in my language, but not so much in yours. Yours is so... confusing."

"Well there's the understatement of the year," Karen mumbled, only half listening to the conversation.

"Hey Karen," Jamie said, leaning over her friend's shoulder. "Whatcha' doin'?"

"Drawing," Karen replied.

Everyone smiled and went back to making fun of Kitten and eating their ice cream, while Karen continued to draw, every once in a while getting critiques and compliments from Rachel.

--------

"Awesome," Angelica said.

"What's awesome?" Kristen asked. "The fact that Kitten might get bit by a rattlesnake?"

"No, the fact that we're all friends. The fact that we all became so close even though I used to hate you guys."

"Love you too, Ang," Rachel muttered sarcastically.

"Me and Jamie used to be friends with Kitten and... Xavier," Angelica defended herself. Kori tensed slightly at Xavier's name. "So we weren't really aloud to like you guys."

"Yeah..." Jamie said from Angelica's bed. There was a knock on Angelica's bedroom door. The girls looked around at each other, confused, as Angelica got up to answer it.

"Yes?" she said, peeking around the door.

"Angel," her mom's voice answered, "There's someone here to see Kori."

All eyes snapped to Kori, who shrugged and stood up.

"I will... be right back?"

The girls nodded and watched their friend exit the bedroom. She walked down Angelica's hallway to the front door. Standing on the front step was none other than Richard Grayson. And he looked panicked.

"Richard?" Kori asked gently, opening the screen door and stepping outside. "What are you doing here? And how did you find my friend's house?"

"Kori, listen to me," Richard said frantically. "We've got a huge problem."

"What on earth are you talking about?"

"What did you do last summer?"

"I spent my time with Xavier, Angelica, Jamie, Fang, Kitten, and Terra at the beach and at the movie theatre. Why?"

"No, what did you _do_? Because if you did what I think you did, you're about to get in big trouble."

Kori opened her mouth to say something, but froze. Last summer. Last summer. Oh, _last summer_. She mentally smacked herself in the forehead and slowly collapsed onto the concrete in front of Angelica's house. Richard dropped to the ground next to Kori and tried to get her to look him in the eye, but she was staring straight ahead, her face horror-stricken.

"_Did_ you do what I think you did?"

"I... I..."

"Kori! This is extremely important! Did you help Xavier's friends vandalize that office building last summer?"

"Y-yes, but..."

Richard punched the wood of Angelica's house. "Damnit, Kori!" he shouted. Kori stared at him in shock.

"I... I am sorry," she muttered.

Richard rubbed his temples and stood up. "No, _I'm_ sorry." He offered his hand to Kori and she took it. He helped her up then gave her a huge hug, and when he pulled away, Kori felt tears in the corners of her eyes.

"W-what was that for?" she asked quietly.

"I need to you pay attention to every word I'm about to say, alright?" Richard asked her, grasping her shoulders and looking into her eyes. She nodded.

"The owner of that office building found out you guys vandalized it, and he's suing," he continued. "He's also not afraid to send any of you to jail for whatever reasons he can think of. He'll stop at nothing to get what he wants."

Kori stared blankly at Richard. What she hearing this right? She was going to _jail?_

"Now, unless you get a great lawyer, you're going to get arrested."

Kori caught her breath. She _was _going to jail.

"Kori," Richard went on, "are you listening? Now, you're going to have to lie, but I can get you out of this. And Angelica and Jamie, too. It's really risky, but I'm open to trying anything if it means keeping you with me. And Angelica and Jamie. I might be blowing it out of proportion, but I can't take chances."

Kori opened her mouth, but no words came out. She was still stuck on the word 'lie.'

"But Richard..."

"Kori, please," Richard said, his eyes misting. "This is our only shot. You have to promise to trust me."

"This is _not _happening." Kori said miserably. "I... I cannot go to prison. It cannot be that serious... I should have never listened to him."

"Kori," Richard croaked. "Please. Promise. Promise to trust me." Kori looked over to see he was crying. She felt her face get hot, and she started crying, too.

"I promise," Kori choked through her tears without hesitation.

"God, I'm not even supposed to be _talking _to you about this," Richard said angrily, wiping tears from his eyes.

"Why not?" Kori asked.

"Bruce, he..."

"He _what_?"

"When it first happened," Richard explained, "Bruce was furious. He paid for that building development, and the paint you used won't come off."

"Are you sure? I could not be that strong, I am sure with some scrubbing-"

"No, Kori, It _won't _come off. It will _never _come off. So Bruce got really crazy and swore that he's find the people who did it and make them pay. I had to give him my word that I'd help. But now that I know it was you, I just... can't. I can't do it. I'd rather protect you than Bruce's stupid pride."

Kori shut her eyes tight as more tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Thank you," she whispered. Crickets chirped and for a while, all Kori could hear was her own crying. She felt Richard's warm arms wrap around her and they sat there and cried. _How cliché. _

The screen door to Angelica's creaked slowly. Kori snapped her eyes open and looked up to see Kristen staring down at her, a bewildered look on her face.

"Um, do I even want to know?" she asked. Richard stood up and took Kori's hand, pulling her up beside him. He didn't let go of her hand.

"Could you please tell the girls that something came up and Kori had to leave?" he asked.

"Like...?"

"Family stuff. Girl stuff. _I don't care. _Tell them _something_. We've got things to take care of."

Kristen looked skeptical, but nodded. She turned to go back inside.

"Please tell them I am sorry," Kori said quietly. Kristen stopped walking away and turned around to face her, concern in her eyes. She reached out and gave Kori a hug.

"Whatever it is," she said, "I hope it works out. Good luck"

"Thank you," Kori whispered, turning into Richard's shoulder as he guided her down the cement stairs to his car.

"I'm gonna fix this," he said softly as he opened the door for Kori. "I promise."

"I trust you," Kori said bleakly. "I trust you."

* * *

Took a turn for the worst, didn't it?  
This was kinda what the story was gonna be like from the beginning. I also wrote this chapter really late at night and I haven't edited it yet, and I can't type at ALL today, so please be nice.  
Review?


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